MASS ARRESTS OF AZERBAIJAN'S LEZGINS
DeFacto Agency
March 25 2008
Armenia
YEREVAN, 25.03.08. DE FACTO. According to the information DE FACTO
received from reliable sources, the Azerbaijani police conducts a
large-scale operation in the Republic Kusar and Khachmaz regions
inhabited by Lezgins.
Mass arrests of activists of the Lezgin National Movement, Sadval, are
made under the pretence of illegal weapons' elimination. The persons,
who do not have registration in these regions, are also arrested. All
approaches and roads to these regions have been blocked by police
posts, intensified forces of internal troops and riot police.
The large-scale operation started early in the morning, March 25,
our source reports. According to 4 p.m., over 100 people have been
arrested. None of them has been brought arrest warrants so far. Since
no prisoners have been released, the source found difficulty in
informing what accusations have been brought against them. The source
also states that actually all dibirs, Lezgin clergymen, have been
arrested as well. There are women among the prisoners. The situation
in the region becomes hourly heated. According to non-verified
information, the subdivisions of regular troops of Azerbaijani Armed
Forces also head for the mass repressions' region.
DeFacto Agency
March 25 2008
Armenia
YEREVAN, 25.03.08. DE FACTO. According to the information DE FACTO
received from reliable sources, the Azerbaijani police conducts a
large-scale operation in the Republic Kusar and Khachmaz regions
inhabited by Lezgins.
Mass arrests of activists of the Lezgin National Movement, Sadval, are
made under the pretence of illegal weapons' elimination. The persons,
who do not have registration in these regions, are also arrested. All
approaches and roads to these regions have been blocked by police
posts, intensified forces of internal troops and riot police.
The large-scale operation started early in the morning, March 25,
our source reports. According to 4 p.m., over 100 people have been
arrested. None of them has been brought arrest warrants so far. Since
no prisoners have been released, the source found difficulty in
informing what accusations have been brought against them. The source
also states that actually all dibirs, Lezgin clergymen, have been
arrested as well. There are women among the prisoners. The situation
in the region becomes hourly heated. According to non-verified
information, the subdivisions of regular troops of Azerbaijani Armed
Forces also head for the mass repressions' region.