Rights defender Talekh Khasmamedov detained in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani rights defender Talekh Khasmamedov is detained on suspicion of beating a resident of Goychay.

The detention of the leader of the NGO "Law and Order" in the town of Goychay located 150 kilometres west of Baku was reported by Oktai Gyulalyev, the head of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without political prisoners", who referred to the family of the rights defender.

"Talekh Khasmamedov with his mother visited a furniture store. When they left the store, Talekh was approached by unidentified man, who spat in his face. Then, the man fell to the ground and started screaming that Khasmamedov was beating him. When the police appeared, witnesses confirmed that Khasmamedov was not guilty; however, he was detained," Oktai Gyulalyev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The head of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without political prisoners" believes that Talekh Khasmamedov is being persecuted for political reasons. "Talekh Khasmamedov has been involved in human rights activity in the Goychay-Udjar Region. He was once imprisoned for his civic activity. In recent years, he has also criticized the local authorities in the Facebook," Oktai Gyulalyev has stated.

According to Ekhsan Zakhidov, the deputy head of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Talekh Khasmamedov was detained "because of his particular unlawful act."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.