Human rights activists report surveillance and pressure on Azerbaijani political emigrants in Georgia

Baku/19.10.23/Turan: The Institute for the Protection and Rights of Freedoms (IPRF) based in Georgia has issued a statement indicating threats to Azerbaijani political emigrants. 

In particular, pressure is being exerted on the head of the IPRF Avtandil Mammadov, a member of the Committee for the Protection of Victims of Cross-Border Repression Nurana Ashurova and a member of the Committee of Independent Reporters Bahruz Aliyev.

Nurana Ashurova is the wife of political emigrant Samir Ashurov.  They emigrated to Germany in 2018, but were expelled 4 years later. After returning to Azerbaijan, Ashurov was arrested on charges of causing damage to health.

Nurana Ashurova led an active struggle in defense of her husband, but she herself began to be threatened and in August of this year she left for Georgia with her children. On October 15, at 12.30, N.Ashurova noticed surveillance of her near the house where she lives.

The IPRF statement is accompanied by a video, which allegedly got the attacker. On the same day, closer to midnight, unknown people began to ring the doorbell to Avtandil Mammadli, scaring his family. At that time, Nurana Ashurova and her children were also in their apartment.

Less than an hour later, N. Ashurova began receiving threats to her Facebook account.  She was required to stop fighting for her husband's rights.

In addition, Ashurova was blackmailed by the fact that her husband would be informed of discrediting information about her.  The statement contains a screen of messages.

At about three o'clock in the morning on October 16, former political prisoner journalist Bahruz Aliyev was subjected to surveillance. He was chased by an "Opel" car  and an attempt was made to hit him.   He managed to reach his place of residence and left Georgia the next day.

On October 17, at about 08.30, Avtandil Mammadov was persecuted by unknown persons when he and his wife were taking their children to school. An unknown person chased them to school by car.

The statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs also recalls that in 2017, journalist Afghan Muxtarli was abducted in Tbilisi and brought to Azerbaijan, who was arrested and convicted in Baku on criminal charges.  ---06B---