21:54, 20 October 2004

Azerbaijan denies arresting Chechen refugees

As reported by the Chechenpress agency, Azerbaijan special services conducted "unexampled mass arrests" among Chechens living in Baku at the end of the last week. The arrests were conducted by the Ministry of National Security, and they are connected with the visit of the Azerbaijan president to Moscow which started yesterday, October 19, the agency reported.

In his interview with the Caucasian Knot correspondent, human rights activist Mairbek Taramov denied this information calling it a rumor. In his words, no relative of the allegedly arrested Chechens has turned to the Chechen Human Rights Center and other organizations. "Names of the arrested Chechens aren't mentioned in the report. It's very strange," Mr Taramov resumed.

The Azerbaijan Ministry of National Security, in its turn, also denies arresting Chechens living in Azerbaijan. "Certain forces deliberately boost such rumors so that to cause a clash between the Chechens and Azerbaijan law enforces," a source in the ministry said.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot