EN
17 October 2003 - 14:56 AMT

OSCE OBSERVING MISSION HEAD BEATEN IN BAKU

Peter Ayker, the head the OSCE mission observing the elections held in Azerbaijan was beaten yesterday by the special element of the Azeri ministry of Internal Affairs during the storm of the headquarters of Musavat opposition party, all this happening in the presence of dozens of journalists. When commenting on the attack of the Musavat headquarters, Ayker’s Polish colleague Hanna Grozdetska told Turan agency that she is “shocked” by what had happened. “The conflict was provoked by a group of military men without any marking. The demonstrators behaved quietly not provoking the opposite party. It appears as if the government forces are waging war against their own people”, – the OSCE observer said. Commenting on the elections held, Grozdetska noted that she witnessed a “great number of violations committed by the ruling party”.