Oppositionist's relatives beaten in Nakhichevan are morally harassed, rights defenders say

In the village of Pusyan, Sharur District of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR) of Azerbaijan, the relatives of the former candidate for the 2nd Sharur Constituency Sakhavat Aliev, who were beaten on December 10 by local policemen, are still without adequate medical help. This is stated both by the victims and human rights activists, while the authorities deny the fact of beating.

"Despite the calls for ambulance made to the Sharur District Hospital, doctors wouldn't arrive," Balakhanym Alieva, one of the victims, a cousin of former candidate, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to her story, she escaped with minor injuries; however, the condition of her relatives Chapai Aliev, Gyulary Alieva and Rakhshanda Tagieva remains grave. "During all this time, we were visited only by the local country doctor, but he was unable to make an accurate diagnosis and appoint the necessary treatment," Balakhanym Alieva said.

At the same time, as she noted, from the end of the last week the beaten relatives stopped their hunger strike in protest against rejection of medical care. "Local elders and activists of the democratic community from Baku asked us about it," she said.

According to her story, the cordoning of the Alievs' house was lifted, but the members of this family are still "shadowed by local executive officials and the police."

Apart from physical sufferings, the members of the Aliev family experience moral pressure from some of the villagers. For example, those dismissed from their jobs for taking part in Sakhavat Aliev's election campaign come to the Alievs and claim that they lost their jobs because of them, Ms Nasibova continued.

Moreover, as she said, on December 17, the state-owned newspaper "Khalg" in Baku published an appeal on behalf of 120 residents of Pusyan village, who treated the rumours about the fact of beating of relatives of the former candidate S. Aliev as a lie. The victims were pictured in the appeal as "unworthy and dishonest people."

Besides, the appeal calls to punish the rights defenders, who disseminate "false reports about Pusyan village".

Let us note here that so far the missions of the EU, OSCE and the Council of Europe in Baku refrain from commenting on the developments in Pusyan. One of the Western diplomats told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he is closely monitoring the situation in this village, and the reaction would surely follow."

Meanwhile, the Sharur District Hospital refuted the information that they refused to send an ambulance to the calls of the Aliev family from Pusyan. The Ministry of Public Health of the NAR would not answer the questions of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.