Azerbaijan, Baku, 19 February / corr. Trend J. Babayev/ Azerbaijanis living in the Bolnisi region of Georgia have appealed to the president of Azerbaijan and Georgia requesting an end to the on-going violence against them. The head of the Qeyret movement of Azerbaijanis living in Georgia said to Trend.
The appeal stated that the police officers of Bolnisi region have illegally arrested Musa Tanriverdiyev, the resident of Arikhli village and the head of the water reservoir. "Musa Tanriverdiyev was beaten before our very eyes and taken to the center of Bolnisi. Later a search was conducted on his car by the police which revealed marihuana. Met with a strong reaction from the witnesses the police officers added that Tanriverdiyev had allegedly resisted the police.
Despite the appeal from the Bolnisi residents, the Prosecutor's Office and Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor's Office demanded 20,000 laris deposit for Tanriverdiyev's release.
The appeal to the president states thatthe arrest of Tanriverdiyev, who fought for the rights of Azerbaijanis for many years, is part of a plan to force Azerbaijanis living in Bolnisi to leave their region. The appeal also says that promises given to the Azerbaijanis in Georgia before the presidential election have been replaced by the usual pressure and police unpredictability.