On August 3, 2011, IRFS Nakhchivan correspondent Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev was summoned to Sharur Regional Prosecutor’s Office. He wrote a statement of commitment to not leave Nakhchivan Autonmous Republic.
“I visited the prosecutor’s office once again today due to the summons I received yesterday. This time I was questioned by an investigator as a guilty party. They documented the Prosecutor’s verbal request that I do not leave Nakhchivan,” Mehdiyev said.
After coming back from the prosecutor’s office he was asked to return the same day, which he did. The prosecutor Kamil Shikhaliyev asked him why he had refused to write a statement of explanation and refused a lawyer. Mehdiyev answered that he has used his rights and that he will attend the court hearing with his own lawyer.
BACKGROUND
Earlier in the summer, on July 13th, the Sharur District Executive Power Deputy Head Aladdin Mammadov arrived at Mehdiyev’s house, behaved aggressively towards him and cut off the power supply to the small car-washing station in his driveway. He was again assaulted on July 15 with regard to the same issue. The electricity wires and telephone poles supplying power to his house and car-washing station were removed. Since then, Mehdiyev has been without power. Elman Abbasov and Ilgar Nasibov arrived at the scene to investigate the incident. Police assaulted them and prevented them from filming. The journalists have appealed to Prosecutor’s office of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Shortly thereafter, without any evidence, a criminal case was launched against Mehdiyev in Sharur Regional Prosecutor’s Office under Article 189-1 of the Criminal Code (diverting natural gas or electricity).