14:57, 11 August 2005

Torture used as method

Sarvan Sarkhanov, a member of the Azerbaijani youth movement Yeni Fikir ("New Thinking"), underwent physical violence while being interrogated in a prosecutor's office.

Investigators demanded that he should give evidence against Ali Kerimli, leader of the People's Front of Azerbaijan party, and Ganimat Zakhidov, an editor of Azadlyg newspaper, and accuse Kerimli in a broadcast of the Lider television channel, Sarvan told journalists.

When Sarkhanov refused to do so, the investigators began to beat him.

"A police officer then entered the room and began to threaten that he would crush my fingers with pincers and cut off my ear," Sarkhanov said. After all that, the investigators and the police officer grabbed him by the hand and made him sign some paper. In conclusion, one investigator told Sarvan that he would be arrested in three days.

The prosecutor's office confirmed that Sarvan Sarkhanov had been summoned for an interrogation, but denied any pressure on him.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent