Twenty People Arrested in Nardaran

During raids on December 1 in Nardaran the security forces detained about 20 people. Turan was told by the head of the village council of elders, Natig Kerimov.

According to him, the purpose of the police operation is the collection of weapons. In particular, Deputy Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov met with a group of local residents, which declared the surrender of weapons by the population.

Kerimov himself also urged local residents to surrender their weapons if they have them.

"If I knew who has got weapons, I would select them and surrender them to the state," said Kerimov.

He expressed the hope that the detainees will be released, because, according to their relatives, many of them did not commit any illegal actions.

In turn, the commander of the Interior Troops, Lieutenant-General Shahin Mammadov said in an interview with AzTV that "special operative measures in Nardaran will continue until the full execution of tasks to ensure public safety in the village."

According to him, "entry to the village is restricted and the due control is strictly enforced." At the same time Mammadov did not specify the possible time frame for completion of the special operation. AzTV also showed footage of dismantling posters of religious content in Nardaran.

Meanwhile, the village still has no electricity and no fixed telephony and many shops are closed. Police forces require the population to remain in their homes.

These operations are actually typical of a state of emergency, which, however, has not been formally announced. -06B--