Today, the visit of the leader of Azerbaijan Democratic Party Rasul Guliyev has been expected to Baku after 9 years of emigration. Guliyev held the highest positions in Azerbaijan authority during the beginning of presidency of former president Heydar Aliyev. His latest position was the speaker of the National Parliament since 1997 the ADP has been the opposition party and now ADP is a member of the Azadlig Bloc oppositional coalition and Guliyev is a registered candidate for Parliament. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the general prosecutor´s Office declared several times that Guliyev would be arrested immediately if he planned to arrive Azerbaijan (17-OCT-2005).
Gulyiev portrait: www.prima-news.ru
Despite of the high level of tension among the population, Rasul Guliyev could not come to Baku as it was planned. The plane of the British Charter flight left London for Baku today in the morning, but landed at Simferopol airport (Ukraine) around 17:00. The president of AZAL Cahangir Askerov reported that Rasul Guliyev refused to come in Baku and faxed the refusal, but Rasul Guliyev himself refuted that information in his telephone conversation with one of journalists at 17:40. He stated that the authorities of Azerbaijan refused to give corridor to his plane. Later in the day it was learnt that because of the inquiry of Interpol, the documents of Rasul Guliyev are being checked in Simferopol airport.
Pressure on relatives and supporters
Within last few days more than 50 ADP?s members were arrested, but today more than 200 people have been detained in the streets, subways and venues close to the airport. Many of the detained reported the violence from the side of police at police stations. Approximately 40 members of PPFA were also beaten and arrested. The sources say that many of the detained were beaten up by police and already sentenced from 8 to 15 days of arrest. In addition there have been detained numerous activists of other opposition parties of Azadlig Bloc as well as candidates for Parliament Gurban Mamedov, Nadir Guliyev, Shargiya Mamedova, Gabil Shirinov and Zeynatdin Hasanli. It was reported that the relatives of Rasul Guliyev have been exposed to arrest and home arrest for several days. His brother Sabir Guliyev and nephew Etibar Guliyev were detained on the way to the airport together with their families. The family of Aygun Guliyev ? the editor-in-chief of ?Baku Xeber? newspaper and the relative of R.Guliyev has been kidnapped in fact. They were detained and taken by policemen in unknown destination. R. Guliyev?s another brother Telman Guliyev and his family has been shadowed for three days by 5 cars. They cannot even get out of the house to buy the food.
Police rounding up Gulyiev supporters on their way to Baku international Airport to welcome Gulyiev. Photo: www.azerphoto.com
Blocked traffic
The measures for preventing the welcoming Rasul Guliyev by his supporters and relatives started from Sunday evening when 10 KAMAZ trucks with internal troops armed with batons and shields and two armored vehicles entered into the territory of airport from Baku-Mardakan highway. The same number of internal troops entered the city and was located in the House of Government’s yard. This morning half of the troops re-located to Azadlig square. 10 KAMAZ trucks with internal troops approached to the parliament building and took positions around Milli Mejlis. Authorities neither explain, nor comment on the reason of stationing of internal troops in the city. Security measures were strengthened on Baku-airport highway and control-check points were installed. Since the morning traffic on the airport highway has been cut off, police and internal troops check transportation going to the airport. Traffic has been also blocked at the exits from all the neighboring villages, the 2 biggest trade centers close to the airport have been closed today. The people are detained at the metro station ?Azizbekov?, which is a crossing underground station to the transportation for the airport.
Control over headquarters of opposition parties
Azerbaijan Democratic Party?s headquarters has been under control for last few days. Since Sunday, the police cordons were placed near headquarters of other political parties-members of Azadlig bloc ? headquarters of PPFA and Musavat.
Situation at Baku International Airport
The building of the Baku International Airport is under control of several hundreds of armed special purpose troops and police. At the entrance to the airport there are up to two hundred gunners on both sides. The building of the airport is full of people in black clothes and masks. People in civilian clothes carry tough control over all coming and leaving people. Snipers are on the roofs of the building. There are several hundreds of military servants of internal troops along the whole perimeter of the building of the airport in all entrances and exists. The evening flight to Nakhichevan leaving at 18:00 has been postponed for 24:00 without any explanations.
Reaction of international community
Today?s situation was observed and commented by many representatives of international community. Thus, the representative of Human Rights Watch Matilda Bogner called the events taking place in Baku at present are the beginning of repression against the opposition. Conduction of democratic elections under such circumstance is impossible. The representative of the US Embassy, who could monitor the events at the airport told that the American side called the government and the opposition to self-control, and reminded that they are responsible for not breaking democratic processes in the country. Besides, there has been held a picket in Kiev today by Azeri community living there. The pickets were organized in front of OSCE and UNO demanding the support of the conduct of fair democratic parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. The representatives of a number of NGO of Ukraine took part in the picket.
Statement of Human Rights Defenders
Today, the group of human rights defenders and about 300 candidates for the Parliament made the joint statement, calling the authority to create proper conditions for Rasul Guliyev?s equal participation in elections. The statement says that although the term of parliamentary elections approaches, no measures have been taken to conduct free and just elections. The group expressed the concern about the authorities? intention to falsify elections and cause the society to confrontation. Human rights agents strongly condemn all possible repression of authorities against Rasul Guliyev and make authorities responsible for that.
