Azerbaijani opposition group denies accusations that leader plotted anti-government acts
By AIDA SULTANOVA
The Associated Press
08/05/05 11:53 EDT
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – A political youth group whose leader was
arrested on charges of plotting against the government with the help
of Armenian security services denied the accusations Friday, saying
he fell victim to a trap by Azerbaijan’s own security agents.
Ruslan Bashirli, of the opposition youth party Yeni Fikir, was detained
Thursday after a fellow party member accused him of taking part in a
secret meeting with Armenian agents in Georgia in July that focused
on organizing an uprising in Azerbaijan.
Bashirli is also accused of receiving $2,000 (euro1,600) from the
alleged agents, who prosecutors said called for using weapons at an
opposition rally in Azerbaijan in order to spark violence.
Prosecutors contend Bashirli was acting on orders of U.S.-based
National Democratic Institute, which denied the accusations.
Gorik Akopian, the head of Armenian’s National Security Service, called
the claims of Armenian involvement “ridiculous and absolutely wrong.”
Speaking at a news conference, Yeni Fakir deputy head Fikret
Faramazoglu said Bashirli went to Georgia to attend an international
conference on democracy and had no idea he was interacting with
Armenians, as prosecutors claim.
Faramazoglu contended that the Yeni Fakir member who accused Bashirli
served with Azerbaijan’s security forces, and he blamed them with
setting a trap to tarnish the image of an opposition group.
Bashirli’s arrest came amid concern among governments throughout the
former Soviet Union following protest movements that helped bring
opposition leaders to power in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been under control of ethnic Armenians since a
six-year war against Azerbaijan ended with a 1994 cease-fire. The war
killed some 30,000 people and drove a million from their homes. The
enclave’s status remains unresolved and both sides regularly exchange
fire along the cease-fire line.
Tensions are high in Azerbaijan ahead of November parliamentary
elections. Opposition parties have rallied almost weekly amid fears
that the government of President Ilham Aliev could try to rig the
voting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress