Protest rally in the village of Garadyrnag

Baku / 16.05.20 / Turan: Today a group of residents of the village of Garadyrnag of the Barda region held a protest rally demanding the provision of pastureland to them. They demand the return of municipal land for general use. According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, despite the fact that police officers who arrived in the village held explanatory talks, the residents continued the action and even demanded that they give plots of other residents under pastureland. 

“In order to prevent illegal actions, police officers were involved in the village. A group of people, ignoring the repeated warnings of law enforcement officers, resisted the police,” was informed. These actions were suppressed, public order was completely restored. Fourteen people who did not obey the lawful requirements of the police and who resisted were brought to the district police department, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

In turn, local residents told that the pasturelands of the village have been illegally leased to various people for many years and the villagers cannot use them. Residents have repeatedly raised this issue with the authorities, but there are no results.

Yesterday they appealed to the President of Azerbaijan and three people were detained. Today's protest rally was related to the demand for the release of detainees, local residents say. They emphasized that they did not oppose the authorities, but merely asking the President of Azerbaijan for help in restoring their rights. However, the police again made detentions. The representative of the Executive power of the Barda region on the administrative-territorial unit of Huseynalylar (the village of Garadyrnag is included in this territory) Arshad Abdullaev said that people have been demanding the provision of pastureland for 10-15 days. They insist on returning the leased plots and transferring them to pasture.

“We explained to them that the territories in common use are already used as pastures. The remaining municipal lands are leased. They sow grain, cotton, and feed. However, people still insist on their own. Today, they gathered. I invited the head of the municipality. The chief of police, his deputy, arrived. We explained to the villagers that the legal way to resolve the issue is to appeal to the court. However, people did not agree, they stated that they would graze cattle on the lands provided for rent. After that, the police detained several people stating that they were committing illegal actions and violating order,” Abdullayev said.  According to him, the money leased were from the municipal fund. “Out of 128 hectares of municipal land, 70 hectares are in common use. The remaining 58 hectares are leased,” the official said. —03B06—