What is going on in Seyudlu?

Baku/26.06.23/Turan: The authorities appear to have decided to use the tried-and-true "carrot and stick" method in relation to Seyudlu village.

On the one hand, there is a police operation with restricted entry and exit and continued detentions of protesters in the village.

On the other hand, environmentalists are conducting some kind of research, doctors are examining residents, and community workers are doing landscaping work.

Sources said that the police are identifying and detaining persons from the village who had set up a Whatsapp group "Seyudlu", accusing them of organising a mass protest on June 20.

"They have also arrested Shohrat Askerov, he is driver and brought posters to the village for the rally. They also arrested the man who owned the facility where the posters were made," said a source in the village.

"In the meantime specialists from Baku are now working around the lake where wastes from the gold mine are discharged and taking samples from trees and plants for analysis. They say the lake will be liquidated, and a new one will not be built. 

At the same time improvement works are conducted in the village. The cemetery has already been improved, roads are now being covered with new asphalt, street lighting is being carried out," the source continued.

Some residents, he said, continue to express discontent with the actions of the police. Periodically, they meet in small groups and call for the end of detentions and restrictions.

Recall that on June 20, residents of Seyudlu held a protest rally alleging environmental pollution by a nearby gold mine. The police violently dispersed the rally, injuring 10 people. At that, five people were detained and administratively arrested for 20 days. Another elderly resident was fined 1500 manats. Later, several more people were detained and the names of at least three of them are known to the media. However, law enforcement agencies do not provide information on the number of detainees. -3В06-