Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr.S.Ilhamgizi / A group of teachers of the Lankoran region Humanities College cahrges the director, Jahangir Ibrahimov, with sexual pressure, Leyla Yunus and Matanat Azizova, the heads of the Women Crisis Centre, said during the press-conference held on 21 September.
Azizova received the appeal from the group of teachers of the Lankoran Humanities College on 19 July 2007. The appeal stated that the teachers underwent sexual pressure by the director of the college.
Some teachers had to leave the college and some were dismissed by unknown reasons. The Centre held examination and revealed the facts of pressure. The Centre appealed to the Education Ministry, the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Problems and Ombudsman Department. However, none of the Ministries has been respond to the appeal, Azizova said.
The director of the college denied the information and brought an action against Matanat and a range of Azerbaijani newspapers.
Ibrahimov's attorney, Idris Aliyev, said that it is incorrect to accuse a man without investigation. According to him, making such statements before the investigation is completed Ms Azizova and Ms Yunus attempt to influence the court.
According to the Education Ministry, appeal of the Women Crisis Centre was considered and a written declaration was submitted to the Ministry. Education Ministry submitted the appeal to the college.
According to Yunus, that is not the first fact of rape in education system. On 26 January, 2007, Irada Guliyeva, a teacher of Secondary School 1 in Fuzuli region's Gayidish village committed self-immolation. A criminal case was filed with respect to the director of the school who was accused of the crime. But he was not arrested, the human rights activist said. On 27 February, Shahla Gurbanova, 20, a teacher of a secondary school in Aghdam region's Banovshalar village, hung herself in her own house, she said.