Georgia, Tbilisi / Тrend corr N. Kirtskhalia, S. Agayeva / Azerbaijani candidate, Fazil Aliyev, who is vying for the presidency in Georgia, has accused Georgian authorities of putting pressure on his election staff.
'My election campaign may possibly fail, in fact, due to the arrest of the head of my election campaign staff, who is also the head of the National Assembly of Azerbaijanis of Georgia (NAAG), Dashgin Gulmammadov," Aliyev said to Trend on 28 November.
The head of NAAG was detained by the Georgian security service. He is accused of an attempted coup, the head of the Public Movement, Zumrud Gurbanov, reported to Trend on 28 November from Tbilisi.
The presidential candidate is not convinced of Gulmammadov's guilt. "This incident has almost led to the failure of my election campaign; the authorities are afraid of me, as I am one of the most serious candidates. I have taken 4th or 5th place among 22 presidential candidates," he said.
In an interview to the Azerbaijani media last week Gulmammadov did not rule out that he might be harrassed by the Constitutional Security Department and the Security Service Department at the Georgian Interior Ministry, because of his activities as the head of the election campaign of an Azerbaijani candidate.
"Georgian criminals among the authorities are trying to undermine Aliyev's election campaign," he said.
Aliyev stressed that he has appealed to the Public Defendant and his colleagues for support during the election race. He hopes international organizations will help him obtain the release of his staff member.
Georgian law-enforcement bodies were unavailable for comment either confirming or denying reports on Gulmammadov's arrest.