From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <sebouhz_tashjian@yahoo.com.au>
Subject: Azerbaijan Launches Withhunt?

PanARMENIAN.Net

Azerbaijan Launched Hunt for Witches?
19.01.2007 15:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Some analysts describe the current events in
Azerbaijan as `hunt for witches’. 16 people were accused of coup
d’etat attempt, treason, gang formation and forgery. According to
Azeri Security Ministry’s Spokesman Arif Babayev, these people’s guilt
of keeping drugs and weapons was established. Their names are not
made public in the interests of investigation. `Some analysts assume
interference of third states; the others suppose that with these
arrests the authorities try to distract the attention of masses and
weaken unprecedented tension in Azerbaijan that resulted in rise in
prices for energy, petrol and water,’ Azeri analyst Elhan Nasibov told
RFE/RL. In his words, such wave of arrests is launched every year
during the period of social tension.