Human Rights Watch, the organization dedicated to protecting the rights of people charged the Azerbaijani leadership of the arrests and beating of the opposition activists. The document published today in New York says that the complaints and statements that followed the presidential election in Azerbaijan served as a motive for the persecution of the oppositionists. According to the report, 1000 people were arrested at that time. Over 100 of them are still being kept in the jail and can be sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. During the recent 10 years Azerbaijan is experiencing the most complicated crisis connected with the human rights issue, Human Rights Watch considers. The report of the organization is based on the conversations with the residents of 13 Azeri towns in October and November 2003. At the same time, Human Rights Watch censured the governments of the west countries, especially that of the US for the mild response to the elections held in Azerbaijan, Mediamax informs.