Azerbaijan: activist, Rabiya Mamedova complains about pressure

The mother of Rabiya Mamedova, an Azerbaijani activist, was beaten up by a woman at her workplace. Rabiya herself, who is advocating people's rights, including those of victims of domestic violence, is sure that the incident is related to her public activities.

The mother, Basti Mamedova, 59, was attacked on June 3. The woman works as a janitor, said Rabiya. According to her story, the mother had been bullied by her colleague for the last month.

"This woman reproached my mother for not taking action against me ... The fact is that I defend victims of domestic violence and LGBT people," Rabiya has explained.

She believes that the attacker was specially sent by authorities. "They put pressure on me by attacking my mother. In this way they want me to stop my human rights work," the activist claims.

Rabiya said that she had recently founded the "Sapla" (Thread) sewing house, which employs women who had suffered from domestic violence and have no access to education. "Apparently, someone dislikes it; they want to keep women in powerless situation," Rabiya Mamedova believes.

Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, an activist, also believes that "the attack on Rabiya's mother has to do with her initiative for the social reintegration of women in need of protection."

"Reactionary groups in power wouldn't like any civil initiative and public activeness," Mr Gadjiev has stated.