Customs pressurizes human rights activist

 The head of the Gazakh office of the NGO Institute of Human Rights and Freedom, Javid Shiraliyev, has been harassed, according to a press release of the organization.

The reason for the threat is information conveyed by Shiraliyev to media on the infringement of the rights of poet, Bakhtiyar Hidayat, on December 23 on the "Red Bridge". After he published it in the press, three members of the Tovuz Customs House came to the office of the Institute on December 30 and threatened Shiraliyev.

Customs officers said they arrived at the order of the Chief of the Department, Vezir Huseynov, and began to insult Shiraliev; if the media continues to give coverage on this issue, Shiraliev will be tied to a car and dragged from Gazakh region to Tovuz region. Vezir Huseynov is a cousin of Beylar Eyubov, the chief bodyguard of the country’s President. 

The Institution to Protect Rights and Freedom appealed to the local and international organizations, as well as the Attorney General and the Ombudsman.

The reason for the conflict in the Customs point became a demand of Bakhtiar Hidayat not to detain a passenger bus unreasonably. In response to the demand, the customs officers used physical force against him.

Turan failed to get any comments on the matter in the Tovuz Customs.-05D/B04-