Armenian expert: Aliyev being forced to 'play with fire'
The Azerbaijani authorities continue crackdown on Shia figures in the country, Iran specialist Artyom Tonoyan says.
The detainees have already been charged with working on the orders of “foreign special services” in an apparent reference to Iran and committing high treason.
“They include people who previously faced trumped-up charges, were convicted for plotting an Islamic revolution in Azerbaijan, but were released from prison under an amnesty after the "revolution" in Armenia,” the expert wrote on Facebook on Monday.
He claims the arrests are aimed at instilling fear in people towards the religion and keeping them away from mosques, as well as “getting on Iran's nerves and provoking new incidents.”
“[Azerbaijani President] Aliyev is being forced to play with fire, but his bosses are not really interested in its consequences,” Tonoyan said.