Representation of the EU receives activists from Nakhchivan

 The latest  egregious human rights violations in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), and in particular the pressure on entrepreneurs and journalists were discussed in Baku at a meeting of civil society and media representatives  of the region with the charge d'affaires  of EU, Toralfom Pilz.

The meeting was attended  by the: Head of Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Malahat Nasibova, a journalist and human rights activist  Ilgar Nasibov, and correspondent of the Institute of Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS), Elman Abbasov.

During the meeting special attention was paid to the facts of the last beating and arrest of the businessmen  Mamed Gurbanov and Nadir Mammadov at the customs point  in Sadarak  .

Then the pressure was  made on and Nasibov and Abbasov, and their  cameras and voice recorders were seized. 

Later Mammadov  gave testimony under the torture, that Abbasov and Nasibov incited him to  "illegal actions" against customs officers. On the basis of this testimony, the two journalists two days ago, were interrogated for many hours, and were subjected to psychological pressure in Sadarak district Prosecutor Office.

According to the participants of the meeting, the EU representative in Azerbaijan Pilz said that the human rights situation in Nakhchivan is under scrutiny of the  EU.

He stressed that the EU mission also monitored on the above facts. The  EU Delegation and the Embassy of the Western States will continue to keep these issues under control, said diplomat.—06B--