17.01.2022



 

 

Center for National and International Studies

FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

 

Destroying the opposition by repressive means not only does not provide lasting power but often confronts regimes with angry people who attack the statues with trucks and ropes…”

(Lack of) Human Rights and Liberties

The chairman of the Citizen and Development Party, Ali Aliyev, was arrested for five months. Opposition leaders, activists, and independent journalists objected to the decision calling it politically motivated arrest. Activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev condemned the conclusion of the court and urged that “if a leader of a political party, is arrested on a political order, under false accusations no one is immune of this and thus everyone should protest against such courts decisions.”

Tofig Yagublu wrote that the prosecutor’s office’s decision on his complaint to the Sabail District Prosecutor’s Office about the torture he was subjected to has now been sent to him. According to the decision, Tofig Yagublu allegedly inflicted the injuries by throwing himself to the walls and the ground at the police station and beating himself in the face. The prosecutor’s decision even included the statements of many “witnesses” by the police officers who confirmed this statement.

Governance, corruption, transparency

Head of APFP Ali Karimli assessed the recent events in Kazakhstan and has argued that “these events have once again proved that the existence of a legally functioning, organized, civil opposition is very important for any state, it is an advantage, even a matter of chance at crucial moments.” Karimli wrote: We all can agree that if there were organized opposition and freedom of assembly in Kazakhstan, there would be no January massacres, no tragedy for thousands of people. First of all, the Azerbaijani government must draw conclusions from what happened. Destroying the opposition by repressive means not only does not provide lasting power but often confronts regimes with angry people who attack the statues with trucks and ropes.”

Reacting to president Aliyev’s visit to Ukraine, member of APFP Fuad Gahramanli said that “the Azerbaijani leadership has finally begun to feel the effects of global geopolitical changes in the post-Soviet space, and is now beginning to take steps in foreign policy accordingly.” However, Gahramanli added that such one-sided gestures are unlikely to yield real results. “In domestic politics, too, there must be a sincere dialogue with society, the existing exploitative, corrupt regime must be dismantled, political reforms must be launched, political prisoners must be released, and other freedoms must be ensured,” said Gahramanli. According to Ramis Yunus, the visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Kiev, negotiations with the President of Ukraine, where only the Azerbaijani and Ukrainian languages were used, the signed documents, as well as the statements made on the recognition of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, were clearly demonstrative at a time when Ukraine is under the threat of Russian expansion. Natig Jafarli of REAl applauded the government’s foreign policy arguing that “the Sheikh’s visit to the Vatican and Ilham Aliyev‘s preparations for a visit to Ukraine show that foreign policy is based on interesting, multifaceted foundations.” Jafarli added that the main task is to take the right steps in domestic politics and economics, and the main goal should be systemic reforms and changes to the Constitution. “When domestic policy is wrong, when it does not sit on sound foundations, foreign policy will start to seriously stumble after a while,” concluded Jafarli.

Journalist Mehman Huseynov reports that this year, Azerbaijan will once again host Formula 1 races, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports has already started calls for volunteers to work during the races. Huseynov addressed the young people to be aware of corruption at the ministry and not let the ministry exploit their free labor. Huseynov wrote:  During Formula 1, minister Arif Rahimov and his team ask the young people to work for free. Because when you work there for free, Arif Rahimov can save money to buy luxury villas, yachts worth millions, and expensive cars in Monaco. Do not let them enslave you!”

Post War Situation.

Although more than a year passed since the liberation of occupied territories, Azerbaijan lost another serviceman in the Karabakh region. On Saturday, a 22-year-old soldier Mammadli Javidan, a resident of Sheki, was reportedly shot dead by the Armenian side in the direction of Khojavend. According to independent sources, he was killed by the Armenians while the Ministry of Defence said that Mammadli died as a result of careless handling of a weapon, and the case will be investigated.

Economy and Social Issues

The video of a young child being beaten up by the instructor in the kindergarten has caused outrage in society. Professor Altay Goyushov reacted to the inhuman incident saying that “one of the side effects of a teacher’s abuse of a child is that the child develops fear rather than respect.” Goyushov added that the concepts of respect and fear work in a way that children respect what they are afraid of, and they don’t respect anyone who can’t raise their hands against them. Goyushov continued:  Then it becomes a norm in the society as a whole, be it at work, in the family, in government, the system is built not on mutual respect that brings it closer to civilization, but on the fear that distances it from civilization.”

Journalist Mehman Huseynov shared his opinion on the issue linking it to a more critical societal issue. Huseynov wrote: In kindergarten, a “tutor” beats a small child, at school, a teacher beats a student, at a police station police beats citizen and the major blow comes from the Tariff Council- as of today medicines become more expensive…Protect your health.”

Gubad Ibadoghlu shared a post in which he exposed the offer by Kapital Bank that is designed to trap the retirees into a dept. Ibadoghlu wrote: Friends, as you know, 99.87% of Kapital Bank’s shares belong to Pasha Holding, which pays half of the country’s pensions. Pay attention and see how those who have so much wealth get into the pockets of retirees. Kapital Bank does not lend money to the unemployed but offers bonuses to retirees. Everyone who receives a pension from the ATM of Kapital Bank is offered to withdraw an additional 100 manats, and those who do so will be required to pay 106 manats from next month’s payment. Many pensioners, who are left without support, can not afford electricity, gas, and food for months, are deceived by this attractive offer, at first sight, press the button and take the extra 100 manats. Retirees often do not think that by accepting such a robbery offer, they increase their costs and income of the Kapital Bank. Please share this post to urge anyone who withdraws their pensions through the Bank’s ATMs.”

 


January 18, 2022