GEORGIAN AZERBAIJANIS DETAINED BY ARMENIAN FRONTIER GUARDS RELEASED

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 19 2007

Azerbaijani residents of Tezekend village, Georgia, Mehman Asgerov,
Kamandar Mustafayev and Sadakhli village resident Huseyn Mammedov,
who were detained by Armenian frontier guards, were released lat week.

No demands were offered for the release. No penalty was imposed
on them.

Officer of Azerbaijani embassy to Georgia Elkhan Polukhov told APA
that the Azerbaijanis have been released after the interference of
Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Frontier Service and Ombudsman.

Armenian side warned that Georgian Azerbaijanis will not be released
if the action is repeated.

Mehman Asgerov and Kamandar Mustafayev were detained in the Armenian
region of Noyemberian on February 7 while cutting tree. Huseyn Mammedov
was detained in the disputed zone between Armenia and Georgia in the
border of Noyemberyan and Marneuli on February 10.

Armenian frontier guards tried to detain two Azerbaijanis gathering
brushwood in the disputed zone February 10 as well.

Husband and wife were lucky to have a mobile phone about them and
they contacted the village immediately.

Marneuli region administration and police chief interfered with the
case and didn’t let Armenians arrest the couple.

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