Azerbaijan: civil society activists call on authorities and Nardaran community to start dialogue

The Committee to Protect Civil Society has called on to start a dialogue between the Azerbaijani authorities and the community of the village of Nardaran. A member of the community has claimed that the authorities are not going to start a dialogue. According to local residents, the situation in the village is still tense, and law enforcers blocked the entrances to the village and continued searches and detentions.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 26, clashes between the police and believers occurred in Nardaran. Seven persons were killed, including two policemen.

On December 3, the Committee to Protect Civil Society (CPCS) held a special meeting concerning the situation around the village of Nardaran.

According to Elshan Gasanov, one of the authors of the statement made by the Committee to Protect Civil Society and the leader of the Centre of protection of political prisoners, the collective punishment of the residents of the village by deprivation of all utilities under the pretext of financial debts is inadmissible both under law and under morality.

The armed men and armoured vehicles have invaded Nardaran. This was reported by Elchin, a resident of the village. According to him, being deprived of electricity supply, some families go to their relatives to Baku and suburbs of the capital to avoid problems with heating of their houses in Nardaran.

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