09 August 2005, 11:40
OSCE condemns government pressure
The OSCE Baku Office has today made a statement condemning attacks on members of the People's Front of Azerbaijan (PFA) party and its offices in Baku and Nakhichevan following the arrest of Ruslan Bashirli, a youth movement leader, charged with cooperation with Armenian special services.
The OSCE statement says a group of people armed with stones and sticks broke into the PFA office in Nakhichevan and beat activists who were inside on 5 August. At the same time, they wrote offensive lines on the walls of the PFA office.
Similar attacks on the PFA principal office in Baku occurred on 6 and 8 August. "I hope the government will take all necessary measures to prevent damage of private property, violence and unauthorised meetings that can worsen the election campaign," emphasises the OSCE Baku office head.
Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent
