Elchin Gambarov, an attorney representing Ruslan Bashirli, leader of the opposition youth group Yeni Fikir, was quoted on 17 August by echo-az.com as saying that Bashirli was systematically beaten the day following his arrest earlier this month in such a way as not to leave marks on his body. Bashirli was taken into custody on 3 August shortly after returning from a visit to Tbilisi during which -- to judge from video footage shown on Azerbaijani television -- he accepted money from men identified as Armenian intelligence agents and pledged to destabilize the political situation in Azerbaijan. He has been charged with seeking to overthrow the country\'s leadership. Gambarov said interrogators tried, without success, to coerce Bashirli into giving testimony incriminating Ali Kerimli, chairman of the progressive wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party. (RFE/RL)