Gakhramanly accused of involvement in Nardaran events

The Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) insists on involvement of Fuad Gakhramanly, Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) and a member of the National Council of Democratic Forces, in inciting people to religious extremism in the village of Nardaran. The PFPA denies the accusation and believes Gakhramanly to be a "prisoner of conscience".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Gakhramanly was detained on December 8; and the Nasimi District Court of Baku arrested him for three months.

"There are reasonable suspicions that Fuad Gahramanly was inciting residents of Nardaran to religious extremism and attempts to ignite inter-religion hatred," the GPO has stated in its press release.

Besides, as the document says, "Gakhramanly tried to justify the creation by Talekh Bagirov (Bagirzade) of an armed extremist grouping and the commission of its members of grave crimes in Nardaran under the guise of religion; he called on villagers to prepare to open struggle and violent seizure of power, and hold lengthy protests with the aim to change the constitutional order by use of force."

Ali Kerimli, the leader of the PFPA, has treated the charges against Fuad Gakhramanly as absurd.

"It has been officially recognized that Fuad Gakhramanly was arrested for his publications on the Facebook; therefore, there is no need to prove that he is a 'prisoner of conscience'. The authorities have admitted themselves that he was arrested for his political views," Ali Kerimli told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

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