Arrested Azeri youth leader’s father complains of persecution
Turan news agency
8 Aug 05
BAKU
“Everything being said about Ruslan Basirli is a lie and slander,”
says Calil Basirli, father of the arrested leader of the Yeni Fikir [
New Thought] youth movement, Ruslan Basirli.
At a news conference on Saturday [6 August], he said a provocation had
been staged against his son. The footage shown on television is a
montage. The purpose of all this is to discredit the opposition youth
movement in Azerbaijan.
Calil Basirli dismissed the pro-government media reports suggesting
that his son had allegedly evaded military service.
“My son served his duty in the zone of military action
[Azerbaijani-Armenian contact line]. In fact, he volunteered for the
service and retired into the reserve in the rank of a senior
lieutenant,” his father said.
Calil Basirli added that other members of the family had come under
persecution after Ruslan’s arrest. For instance, their house in Zardab
District [central Azerbaijan] had been stoned at the behest of local
officials.
It is curious that Calil Basirli himself is a member of the ruling
party. He said he was against his son’s engaging in politics. He also
dismissed rumours that the family was related to the PFAP [People’s
Front of Azerbaijan Party] leader, Ali Karimli.
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Jidarian Alex. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2005/08/09/baku-arrested-azeri-youth-leaders-father-complains-of-persecution/