The Committee to protect civil society calls on the authorities and the community of Nardaran to dialogue

The Committee to Protect Civil Society held a special meeting on the situation in Nardaran. During the discussions, the committee stated the following:

The  aim of the operation on November 26  conducted by the security forces in Nardaran: neutralization of the radical Islamist group, raises serious doubts, as the military operation was carried out with excessive force demonstration in a public place without a good reason. The fact of the loss of life, both from the security forces and believers of  the  Nardaran mosque, as well as all the actions security forces in Nardaran, including the blockade of the village, turning off electricity, gas says that the subject of pressure was no single group, but all the people of Nardaran, including women, children and the elderly.

Knowing the ability of law enforcement, it can be said that the arrests of suspected  persons  involvement in the illegal actions may have taken place at any time in the local and individual form without loss of life, and  causing  the moral and material damage to the residents of Nardaran.

The collective punishment of the population of the village by turning off all utilities under the pretext of financial debt is inadmissible  from the legal and moral point of view. Such actions are massive human rights violations in a particular locality. Punishing people just because  of  differently thinking  and want to live  according to  the  traditions of the community, cannot be a reason to impact on the citizens of Azerbaijan.

The rejection of the offer of elders of the  village  by the power  on the request to  negotiate  is reprehensible, because the power  should build  a dialogue with all citizens in the framework of the policy announced by the head of state multiculturalism.

It should be remembered that in addition to the laws of the country, national traditions, in reality, there are distinctive local customs and traditions, religious preference. The  authorities  should respect  them and bring into harmony, to turn them into wealth of the nation and not to suppress  by  force and concerted measures.

The Constitution and laws of the country, religious and patriarchal traditions of Azerbaijanis dictate the start of a serious, deep and sustained dialogue with the members of unique  Nardaran community to establish mutual respect and understanding in order to provide a combination of local and national interests, the interests of the community and the state.

The Committee also considers  necessary to encourage external parties to refrain from provoking negative public sentiments in the Azerbaijani society and direct their efforts to establish mutual respect between representatives of state and a respected community of  Nardaran. -0—