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In Azerbaijan, the oppositionists were arrested being accused of organizing a rebellion in Ismayilli region. One of them is the Deputy Chairman of oppositional “Musavat” party, Tofig Yagublu, whose daughter is arrested for several months already. The other one is the chairman of the civil movement “REAL” Ilgar Mamedov, who is the director of the Baku School of Political Studies of the Council of Europe.

According to the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty the Nasimi District Court of Baku implemented preventive punishment against Tofig Yagublu and Ilgar Mamedov putting them under arrest for 2 months. The two oppositionists denied the accusations about being the organizers of riots in Ismayilli region, and reasoned their visit to the area by the intention of getting acquainted with the circumstances. If it is proved that they are guilty they will face a sentence of 10 years, the Radio Liberty reports.

In a joint release of Interior Affair’s Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office in connection with the events taken place in Ismayilli district, is said that on January 23 in Ismayilli, being drunk, the administrator of “Chirag” Hotel Emil Shamseddinov and his friend Elmeddin Mamedov committed acts of hooliganism. As a result, mass disorders occurred, and the group of people that had gathered at the scene set fire to “Chirag” hotel and cars.

As the statement of the law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan reads, “According to the results of the investigation,” it turned out that the Deputy Chairman of oppositional “Musavat” party, Tofig Yagublu and the co-chair of the Movement “REAL” Ilgar Mamedov visited Ismayilli region on January 24, “where they called on the local residents to disrupt the social and political stability by resisting the police, and not obeying to anyone.” “Their illegal actions that were aimed at destabilizing the situation in the country, will be fully and thoroughly investigated, after which they will be given legal assessment,” the statement of the Interior Affair’s Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan reads.

“Radio Liberty” recalls that earlier Tofig Yagublu’s eldest daughter Nigar Yagublu, an activist of Musavat party was sentenced to four years imprisonment on charges of committing a car accident. Tofig Yagublu who is deputy head of the Musavat party and a columnist in the “Yeni Musavat” newspaper is also a veteran of Karabakh war.

In its turn, news agency "Turan" emphasizes that Ilgar Mamedov as director of the Baku School of Political Studies of the Council of Europe is in fact, the staff member of this international organization. This fact inevitably will lead Mamedov’s case into huge international resonance. Never before were the representatives of influential international organization in Azerbaijan attracted to criminal proceedings.

Unrests in Ismailli district began at the evening of January 23, after an accident in which the nephew of the head of Nizami Alekperov and son of the Minister of Labor Fizuli Alekperov - Vugar Alekperov - were involved. His car crashed into another car, Alekperov then began to insult the local residents. According to one of Ismayilli residents, relative of the minister took a pack of money out of his pocket and said: "You have no dignity (geyret), I can buy your mothers and sisters for this money."

Information about the insults spread through the district and angry residents began to smash the commercial entities of Alekperov’s family up. Internal troops and Special Forces were involved in the incident. They fired rubber bullets and tear gas. As a result of clashes many people were arrested and dozens injured. Ismayilli region is located in the north of Azerbaijan and is bordered by Guba region, where in March 2012 the population rioted against lawlessness of Azerbaijani officials. Ismayilli region just like Guba, is also included in the historical area of indigenous nations of Azerbaijan.