IRFS Nakhchivan regional correspondent Elman Abbasov has been receiving death threats to his home phone number from unknown people. "The same person speaks in a strange language; either in Persian or in Kurdish," stated Abbasov. "Yesterday he was speaking in the Turkish Kurdish dialect, but today he was speaking in the Iranian Azerbaijanis’ dialect. He called me on 21 September at 4:15 p.m., on 22 September at 3:10 p.m., and on 22 September at 3:10 p.m., threatened me and my family and used inappropriate language," he reported to IRFS.
"I believe these calls are connected with my activity as a human rights defender and journalist," said Abbasov. "In July, unknown people were harassing me and my relatives. I appealed to Nakhchivan Autonomous enforcement officials in written form. I regret that my appeal has remained unanswered."
On 22 September, Abbasov appealed once again to the Nakhchivan office regarding the threats and requested that the person be found and punished.
According to Abbasov, he has received similar threatening calls in the past. Although he appealed to law enforcement officials regarding this problem several times, there was no outcome. On 6 March 2007, Abbasov received a threatening call to his mobile phone. A person who was speaking in Russian said that he would behead him. On 30 January 2009, a Sadarak region resident who introduced himself as Malik Ailyev insulted Abbasov and his colleague Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev, and said that he would kill them.
Official appeals were made to the Nakhchivan Internal Affairs Ministry, the Prosecutor’s Office and the National Security Ministry regarding both threats, but nothing was done.
