Turkish politician arrested in Azerbaijan - UPDATED

17:35

Defender Elton Guliyev said the Turkish polititian faces charges under article 168 (creation of a group, operating under pretence of the spread of religious confessions and practicing devotions and infringing of public peace by its activity, or causing harm to human health or violating rights of citizens, regardless of the form of violation and distracting citizens from fulfillment of duties, established by the law and ruling such groups or participating in ruling).

He is currently kept in the Investigation ward of the Ministry of National Security. The investigation on his case will end soon. According to the defender, Turkish press was biased about his defender: "Involving teenagers to devotions is not a crime, it has no signs of law offense,

Turkish press is biased about him. They'd better write exactly about the devotions which are implied".

The Azerbaijani defender noted that Mehmed Kharun Gayadja's arrest is not connected with nursism or vahhabism:

"He is against these trends, such accusations have not been put forward against him. He does not preach any religious trends.

The statement of his alleged attempts to infringe public law under the veil of devosions, is baseless".

The defender stressed possible transfer of his defendant to the law-enfrcement bodies of Turkey.

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14:25

Turkey's Embassy to Azerbaijan has confirmed information about Gayadja's arrest.

In line with the norms of law, the embassy was timely informed about the arrest of the Turkish citizen. Sources from the embassy also reported that Gayadja is defended by a citizen of Azerbaijan.

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13:27

According to Turkish press, he was arrested in a result of an operation, carried out by the law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan for prevention of illegal religious propaganda, in October of 2007.

He is accused of propaganda of a religious trend, disturbance of public peace under the veil of devotions and involving teenagers into this activity.

As is reported, Azerbaijani side has already sent a note to Turkey and informed the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the issue.

/APA/