Center for National and International Studies

 

FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

04.11.2021

“Sooner or later, our people must come to terms with the fact that such an important task as breaking away from an unjust and violent regime should not be left only to the opposition, political activists, but also to the people themselves!”

Governance, economy, corruption, transparency

Blogger Mehman Huseynov continues his investigations to uncover illegal activities by senior officials. In his recent FB post, Huseynov wrote that the new chief executive of Ganja Niyazi Bayramov is corrupt like the previous one, and he pushed the mother of a martyr to the brink of suicide. “This is a crime! But for some reason, the criminal goes unpunished and walks free,” added Huseynov. The rest of the blogger’s post shed light on the scale of corruption, asking how it can be possible that Niyazi Bayramov, who receives an official salary of 1,200 manats, runs a cafe-restaurant worth 500,000 (half a million) in the very center of Baku? Huseynov also added that despite his salary, Niyazi Bayramov built a villa for his niece in France worth 30 million manats.

Azadliq newspaper reports that new amendments to the law state fees are proposed in the Milli Majlis. According to the proposed change, the state fees for passports, marriage registration, divorce, fishing, hunting permits, change of surname and names, driver’s license, and a number of other services will be increased.

Gubad Ibadoghlu informed his followers that well-known blogger Tural Sadigli, the founder and owner of the Azad Soz channel, has interviewed him in front of buildings owned by offshore companies registered in the name of Ilham Aliyev’s family. However, after finishing the interview, they were surprised by the scene when they came to the parking lot where Saidgli parked his car. Ibadoghlu added that the rear window of a car parked in a paid parking lot in central London was broken, and the police are currently investigating the incident. Ibadoghlu said that as the chairman of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare (ADR) Party, he condemns the perpetrators of this incident against the blogger and urge those who watch the Azad Soz youtube channel to condemn this event and protest against it in support of Tural Sadigli, whose life is in danger.

Political activist Seymur Hezi argued that as the government sees growing dissatisfaction, it sends a message of fear to society by arresting APFP activists. Hezi believes by arresting political activists, they want to divert attention from the ruling family’s exposed illegal business.

Head of PFP Ali Karimli reacted to the recent developments on the Tartar case, adding that “now, the military prosecutor himself admits that 102 people were brutally tortured.” Military prosecutor Khanlar Valiyev finally had to talk about the Tartar crime, which he denied a few months ago and called it a tall tale. However, recently Valiyev admitted that eleven people were tortured to death during their detention. Karimli added that one day the perpetrators of Tartar crime would receive the punishment they deserve, but unfortunately, under the current government, this does not seem realistic.

Human Rights and Liberties. 

Ali Karimli informed his followers that after his interview with ToplumTV, the government’s cybercriminals hacked the Facebook page of ToplumTV and deleted the interview. Karimli said that, in the interview he had with Shamshad Agha, he has revealed much truth about the regime. Karimli called on people “who want alternative voices and principled criticism to be more widespread among the people, to spread this interview persistently.”

Ali Karimli also reacted to the recent amnesty act. Karimli wrote: Again, revenge, hatred, and resentment. Unfortunately, the amnesty act, which is expected to be adopted on the occasion of Victory Day, has been specially designed to avoid political prisoners. The regime did not use this opportunity to solve the problem of political prisoners. They don’t have such intentions. If the document released by pro-government media is the final version, there will be no “golden amnesty” for other prisoners. Is it possible to reconcile with the enemy, but not with the Azerbaijani people? Is it possible to show mercy to an agent of an enemy state, but not to the children of these people who are fighting for the beliefs?”

According to Azadlig newspaper APFP member Ramiz (Qafqaz), Jafarov was arrested and was sentenced to 25 days of administrative detention by the Sabunchu district court. APFP argues that the reason for the punishment of the party activist is his activity on social networks. Recently, such kinds of arrests have been increasing.

Azadliq Newspaper reports that Tural Sadigli, a political refugee living in Germany and head of the Azad Soz Youtube channel, was attacked in London, the rear window of his car was broken, and his computer was confiscated. In London, Sadigli was reporting about the property of Ilham Aliyev’s family that became public after the Panama Papers.

Exiled journalist Afgan Mukhtarli reports that according to the information he received, Mutallim Orujov was tortured in the detention center to sign a document. Malik Rzayev also was subjected to torture. Both opposition figures were deported from Germany in June. After returning to Azerbaijan, they were repeatedly taken to the DTC, the Prosecutor General’s Office, by the police. They testified about their activities in Germany. Mutallim was also summoned by the police from his house and did not return. Despite calls and appeals to the 102 service, it was not possible to obtain information about him. Only later did it become known that he was arrested and remanded in custody and was not allowed to contact his family and lawyer. Malik Rzayev was detained by police at his home and was charged with drug trafficking. Both Orujov and Rzayev were seeking political asylum in Germany, however, they were deported to Azerbaijan.

Post War situation. The situation of war veterans.  

Meydan TV reports that according to the chairman of the Social Policy Committee of the Milli Majlis Musa Guliyev “everyone who took part in the First and Second Karabakh Wars and became a martyr, or  veteran has the same status.” Guliyev said that the veterans of the Second Karabakh War will receive a monthly allowance of 80 manats, and it will be considered whether to increase it in the future. Clarifying the reason for the fact that some participants of the Second Karabakh War have not yet been granted the status of veterans, the chairman of the committee said that this was due to incomplete medical treatment that made it difficult to assess the level of disability.

Ali Karimli of PFP said that “on the anniversary of the Second Karabakh War, Ilham Aliyev returned the country to its pre-war situation.” Referring to the recent corruption scandals and price increase, Karimli said that now the agenda is back to corruption and repression, plus increasing prices, state duties, and taxes.” Karimli concluded his post addressing his followers with these remarks: “Sooner or later, our people must come to terms with the fact that such an important task as breaking away from an unjust and violent regime should not be left only to the opposition, political activists, but also to the people themselves!”

FB community keeps reacting to writer Chingiz Abdullayev who recently made controversial statements. In his recent talks, Abdullayev said that “the First Karabakh War was a lie, and it did not happen…Heydar and Ilham Aliyevs saved us.” Former political prisoner activist Ilkin Rustamzade reacted to Abdullayev’s rather awkward assessment of the first Karabakh war by reminding that in Aghdam alone, 6,000 people were killed during the first war of the early 1990s. The majority of FB users sarcastically called Abdullayev “a poet laureate” and believe that Abdullayev made such a bizarre statement to improve his image in the eyes of the government.

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