Azerbaijan: stray animal centre accuses zoo-activists of libel

In Azerbaijan, two employees of the centre that takes care of stray dogs have filed a lawsuit against four zoo activists, demanding to prosecute them for libel and insult. The defendants treat the lawsuit as untenable.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in Azerbaijan, on August 7, three animal rights defenders were arrested for 15 days each, another female activist was fined after they held a protest action and then reprimanded a monkey owner who used the animal to make photos with passers-by. The zoo activists have also expressed their suspicions that "at the stray dog care centre, most animals taken from streets for sterilization and chipping are just killed."

The above employees of the stray dog care centre filed a lawsuit against the zoo activists Ainur Babazade (Babaev), Nidjat Ismailov, Elkhan Mirzoev and Ilkham Nasirov.

Nidjat Ismailov has stated that in their posts the activists condemned the cruel treatment of stray dogs at the centre.

The "Nida" civil movement has stood up in defence of zoo activists and demanded from the above centre to "work transparently, open its doors to volunteers, and provide information about the fate of the animals caught in streets."