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Civil Movement “NIDA” denied accusations of the MNB and the Prosecutor-General of Azerbaijan, claiming that during the search of the apartment they seized three activists of "Molotov cocktails" and drugs, the Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports.

As the news agency reports today the Azerbaijan National Security Ministry and Prosecutor General's Office stated that in apartments of NIDA members – Bakhtiyar Guliyev, and Shahin Novruzlu and Mohammed Azizov – "Molotov cocktails", drugs and money were found. Based on this, the young people faced criminal charges of illegally possessing drugs and explosives.
However, relatives of the detainees denied the accusations, saying that all this was planted by the MNS employees.

Thus, relatives of the student of the third form "Odlar Yurdu", an NIDA activist Shahin Novruzlu, confirmed to the agency of “Turan” that drugs and explosives in their apartment were planted by the employees of the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan. "On March 7 the bottles with combustible substance and the drugs were brought by seven citizens, who introduced themselves as the MNS employees, they also brought with them the two witnesses," told Sh. Novruslu relative to Turan.

As the family members of the detainee, those who came “as citizens” were shooting a video. The owners of the house protested, as a result a dispute arose between them and the staff of the MNS. Bottles with "Molotov cocktails" were left at the door of the apartment. As for the seized 94 thousand manats (about 94 Euros), they belong to the family. The money was collected by the relatives for organizing a business.

The article notes that planting drugs to the political activists is a common practice in Azerbaijan, but this time the security forces apparently decided to act "creatively" and used a "know-how" bringing with them the "Molotov cocktails."

In connection with this incident the movement NIDA stated that this operation of the law enforcement agencies was carried out according to a political order for making the protests against the Azerbaijani authorities to keep silence and to intimidate those who fight for democratic values. "Discovery" of various drugs and flammable means in the apartments as well as a large sum of money is a part of a smear campaign, which is periodically carried out by the authorities against political opponents, the movement said in a statement.

The statement also says that this operation is aimed at restoring total fear among the active youth, intimidation of the opponents of the Azerbaijani authorities in an election year, and prevention of the protest for the deaths of soldiers planned on March 10.
“NIDA expects the local and international democratic community to show a swift and decisive response to this smear campaign,” the statement says.

Yesterday the news agency Turan reported that on February 7 "citizen dressed people" detained three activists from the youth organization «NIDA» and took them to an unknown destination: Mohammed Azizov, Bakhtiyar Guliyev and Shahin Novruzov.
Moreover, Azizov was actually kidnapped from the house. At the same time a member of the opposition party "Musavat" Mahir Bayramli was arrested in Ganja. The report noted that the law enforcement authorities give no explanations, and the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan said that the they have no information about the incident. An official statement of National Security and General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan was issued later.

"Turan" recalls that activists of NIDA were the initiators and organizers of the protest against the deaths of soldiers, which was scheduled on March 10. The organizers sent invitations via social network to 150 thousand citizens, and about 30,000 confirmed their participation in the protest. Apparently, the Azerbaijani authorities decided to arrest activists to prevent the rally, said news agency.