Two AI employees denied entry to Azerbaijan

The organization "Amnesty International" (AI) treats the ban on entry of its employees in Azerbaijan as a "serious attack" on freedom of speech in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Two AI employees were "detained at the border (of Azerbaijan) and deported," the RIA "Novosti" reports with reference to the press service of the organization "Amnesty International".

According to the RIA "Novosti", in the morning of October 7, passports of the AI employees were seized, and the human rights defenders were deported several hours later. It is noted that the AI has preliminary notified the authorities of Azerbaijan on the forthcoming visit of its employees.

The AI employees were to arrive in Azerbaijan to highlight the parliamentary elections, the "haqqin.az" reports.

"Freedom of speech is being seriously and repeatedly attacked in Azerbaijan on the eve of the forthcoming parliamentary elections to be held in the country next month," announces the statement made by the AI to the RIA "Novosti" in connection with the incident.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.