From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Feb 17 2004 - 09:13:40 EST
Azeri authorities reportedly urge detainees to deny reports of torture
Excerpt from Haci Murad report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat on
16 February entitled "Employees of Prosecutor-General's Office in
Xacmaz"
The Human Rights Watch report on the mistreatment of detainees, who were
arrested in the wake of the 15-16 October events [post-election riots],
at the department to combat organized crime, at the Baku City Main
Police Department and district police departments has dragged the
dynastic regime into an impasse. As these facts are known throughout the
world, those who were mentioned in the country report are again being
summoned to prosecutor's offices and attempts are being made to obtain
explanations that they were not tortured during their stay in prisons.
The perseverance of the Prosecutor-General's Office is understandable.
The dynastic regime, to avoid the denunciation of international
organizations and civilized states, has already brought false charges
against 130 people who protested against the 15-16 October election
fraud. As they failed to draw a veil over this disgrace, they are now
trying to divert attention from the maltreatment of members of the
opposition.
As was reported, the people, who are named in the Human Rights Watch
report in connection with repression in the regions, have come under
pressure from local executive bodies for several days.
We learnt yesterday that a group of employees from the
Prosecutor-General's Office had gone to Xacmaz District. Let us recall
that after the 15-16 October events, 23 members of the Musavat Party's
Xacmaz branch were detained and were mercilessly tortured at the local
police department. Hasan Aliyev, police chief [of the district]
mentioned in the Human Rights Watch report, even went further and
insulted many of the detainees.
[Passage omitted: minor details of the post election period]
Source: Yeni Musavat, Baku in Azeri 16 Feb 04 p 2
BBC Mon TCU 160204 at/fm
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