Azerbaijan rights activists concerned about situation with Armenian turncoats

Chairperson of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly National Committee of Azerbaijan Arzu Abdullayeva has made an appeal to international organization concerning the issue of granting political refugee status and asylum in a third country to two Armenian turncoats, Artur Apresian and Roman Terian.

According to Ms Abdullayeva, the fact that this problem is unsettled and the hunger strike started by the Armenian refugees can entail a negative opinion about the honoring of commitments to the Council of Europe by Azerbaijan since these commitments include the settlement of political refugees and emigrants' cases in conformity with the international law. The fact that the two Armenians are being held in the state security ministry's isolator "delivers a blow to the image of Azerbaijan, which should make the most of these people's protest against Kocharian's regime with its aggressive policy and infringement on democracy values," the human rights activist said.

Human rights activist Sakhib Mamedov, in his turn, stated that "the arrival of Artur Apresian and Roman Terian in Azerbaijan is a new provocation on the part of Armenian special services, which understand the Azerbaijan government cannot grant asylum to these men and provide security guarantees for them." "In such a way, the Armenian side is trying to persuade international organizations that the coexistence of Armenians and Azerbaijan is impossible," he said. Therefore Mr Mamedov believes that the government should either grant asylum to the two Armenians or persuade international organizations by diplomatic means that it is impossible.

Editors note: See also the article " Turncoats from Armenia go on hunger strike in Baku".