NAR's MIA: Nasibov was beaten up in domestic conflict

The beating of rights defender Ilgar Nasibov was beaten as a result of a domestic conflict, said the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR) of Azerbaijan. The suspect, according to the MIA, have been detained.

"On the basis of received information about the incident, the Police Department of the city of Nakhichevan made an inquiry and established that there was no attack on the office; and the incident occurred during a fight on the domestic grounds," says the press release of the MIA.

According to the MIA, Nasibov "periodically arranged meetings in the office with his friend Farid Askerov, the former chairman of the Nakhichevan branch of the Civil Solidarity Party." At these meetings, the friends drank alcohol, the MIA asserts.

On August 21, in the course of their feast, a dispute burst out between Nasibov and Askerov that escalated into a fight, said the NAR's MIA, adding that Askerov had testified that the cause of the fight were Nasibov's insulting words about the members of his family.

"At the moment, Farid Askerov is in detention. The fact is still under administrative investigation," the MIA concludes.

In her turn, Malakhat Nasibova, Ilgar's wife and the head of the resource centre, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she treats the MIA's statement as "lies and slander."

Let us remind you that Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media, expressed her concern about the attack on Ilgar Nasibov. The Freedom House believes that Azerbaijani authorities bear responsibility in connection with the attack on Nasibov.