  Azerbaijan charges pro-Iran cleric with treason October 22, 2021 - 13:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Shia Imam Sardar Babayev detained on October 19 in Azerbaijan has been charged with treason, local media reveal. His lawyer Javad Javadov revealed on Thursday, October 21 that the Sabail District Court of Baku decided to arrest the cleric for a period of 4 months, Turan reports. Azerbaijan’s State Security Service detained several Shiite clerics, including Babaev, as tensions with its southern neighbor Iran continue to fester, Eurasianet.org said. The clerics and their families themselves reported their detentions. All detainees studied in Iran and are considered pro-Iranian religious leaders Tension between Tehran and Baku was sparked in early September after Azerbaijani police began stopping and inspecting Iranian trucks carrying goods to Karabakh via Armenia. Police also arrested two Iranian drivers, drawing protests from Tehran. Iran then held unprecedented war games on its border with Azerbaijan and the two sides exchanged harsh mutual recriminations. Azerbaijan shut down the representative office in Baku of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.   Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia.Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements.Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of ArmeniaHenrikh Mkhitaryan wins Serie A title with Inter Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan admits that the team have long been imagining clinching Serie A against AC Milan. |
