Center for National and International Studies

FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

               

                                                                

                                                                                                  12.10.2019

 

The issue of domestic violence and anti- violence campaign “Do not keep silence” ( susma)  continues on social media representing the cases of violence with names of women, who were the victims and the regions in the country where it took place.

The female journalist, Fatima Movlamli, while trying to get an information about arrested activist Tofig Mammadov in the police department was brutally beaten there, insulted and detained in the police station.

The FB users continue to discuss the candidates to the Musavat party chair elections. The poll during the debates among wider public showed the favourite Tofig Yagublu, then – Yadigar Sadyghli, and the last one – the current chair Arif Hajili. However, the choice will be made by the party members. The open support by the former chair of the Party Isa Gambar to the current one- Arif Hajili was criticised by some prominent activists. Khadija Ismayil, the investigative journalist, stated that the party need a change. Yadigar Sadyghli , one of the candidates to the election of the Musavat party chair, scheduled for tomorrow appealed to the FB users on his page. (Yadigar Sadyghli is a former political prisoner, professor of history of Lenkoran University, who was expelled from the University for his opposition views, member of the governing structures of Musavat Party). He expressed his commitment to the historical party and its ideas. He was surprised by the black PR during his campaign, but this did not affect his position and commitment. He said, that the Musavat should change to be more successful and the current  leadership cannot cope with the tasks, and he believes that his party colleagues will make choice in his favour.

The FB users widely shared an information, that authorities put pressure on the heroin of the picket of the 8th October- a woman Pervane Ahmadova. Today 6-7 people in three cars came to her house, directed there by the local administrative representative, to teach her a lesson of “state loyalty”. The journalist in exile Habib Muntezir appealed to the FB users give her support by sharing, and stated, that Azerbaijan government should stop applying mafia rules. Later however the updated journalist’s information was shared, that authorities managed to press enough or buy off the woman and she had to give a new interview praising Aliyev. This is what the nature of current regime is, he concludes,  they rob people of their money, then put pressure on them, or buy them with that money, basically breaking them. This is a classical mafia way of governance. Orduxan Babirov, another activist in exile, commented that on top of the system is the dynasty of Aliyevs-Pashayev’s.

The Azadlyq newspaper’s information is discussed, which making reference to the Greek TV, described the 2 mln worth 19 days of holidays at Maikonos island of children of Azerbaijani officials from the “big oil company”. According to the information, Greek TV reported about  25 thousand dollars daily spending by them and 12  bodyguards  following the children all the time and carrying big amounts of cash.

The REAL party activist and economist Natiq Jafarli comments on the government’s anti NGO and anti- grant campaign by stating that the government was the biggest recipient of grants. This year EU gave  15 mln eur to cover the budget deficit, and 13 mln for the agriculture support. He brings the statistics that since independence of nearly 2bln grants arrived to the country, 1,9 bln were given to the government. How come, he asks, that the government which gets major bulk of grants is good, but the civil society, which was getting much less, was destroyed and declared the enemy?

The FB users discuss the suggestion that the current president of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev may be soon fired, and what it takes to be appointed to this position.

The users have been sharing the picture of particularly damaged road with the rain pools in one of the Baku settlements with the question: “This is not Mars ; guess where is this road?”  The photo caused a lot of ironic and sarcastic comments playing with the official propagandist clichés: such as “Azerbaijan’s economic development without an analogue”, “Germany and the West is collapsing” etc.

The users share collage with two photos, contrasting the situation in Norway and Azerbaijan. One photo shows the library in Norwegian prison, the other – school in Azerbaijan, which is in a much worse condition.

The opinion of the users on the Turkey’s actions in Syria has been divided. Some supported the decision of near 1,000 Azerbaijani war veterans, youth join the operations by the Turkish army. Some criticize both the actions of Erdogan in Syria and those who support them.

The FB users ridicule the statement by the president’s assistant Zeynal Nagdaliyev on the 11th October that “ The electoral system of Azerbaijan is the example for the whole world”.

The information about the new 14 year old world chess champion Aydin Suleymanli from Azerbaijan who won championship in India among 14 year olds has been widely shared.


October 13, 2019