Azerbaijan's postal service is like a black hole when it comes to politically sensitive documents

And it is not even funny. 

For a second time already, the country's postal service says it "lost" an envelope addressed to the European Court of Human Rights. Speaking with local media, lawyer Nemat Karimli said, it is second time that Azerbaijani postal service lost Fuad Gahramnli's documents that were meant to reach the ECHR. 

Gahramanli, is deputy head of Azerbaijan's opposition Popular Front Party. He was arrested on December 8 of 2015 for his critical of the government Facebook status updates. He is being charged with challenging state authority and inciting national, racial, religious hatred and hostility. 

Previously, the postal service "lost" documents in the case of freelance reporter Shirin Abbasov who at the time had complaint letters mailed. Abbasov's lawyer, received compensation in the amount of 82AZN. 

This time the postal service has been quiet. 

Azerbaijan's postal service is notorious for being "interested" in mail of its citizens. For decades packages sent from abroad would come half open or glued all over. Sometimes, the contents would be missing or not all in place. Surely there is no concrete evidence, but plenty of personal anecdotes and experiences are enough to conclude, that big brother with tiny mustache and his friends keep an eye out on what people send and receive. 

N!DA activists OUT, N!DA activists IN

If you at any point, thought release of Azerbaijan's 14 political prisoners, suspension of sentences of Intigam Aliyev, Rauf Mirkadirov and permission to leave Azerbaijan granted to couple Leyla and Arif Yunus by the regime in Baku was a sign of progress, you were deeply deeply mistaken. It was not. Perhaps a sign of back door diplomacy working wonders yes, perhaps a sign of exchange of favors yes, but certainly, definitely and with full assurance NOT a sign president Aliyev and his government has any intention to become good all of a sudden.

Why? Well lets start from a criminal case launched against Meydan TV shortly after president Aliyev returned from his successful trip to Washington DC. Then there was another notice- 15 journalists  named in the investigation case against Meydan TV. Several current political prisoners motions for release and/or house arrest were dismissed by local courts and so on. 

And just yesterday there were news of two N!DA activists being detained. Hours after their detention their whereabouts are not known, their family and friends have not heard of them. Why? Because the government of Azerbaijan can do it. Because there are no checks and balances and because they hate, literally despise anyone who stands out and commits any act of disobedience. 

Bayram Mammadov and Giyasaddin Ibrahim were detained allegedly for writing "Fuck the System!" [in English] and "Happy Slaves Day!" [In Azerbaijani "Qul Bayraminiz Mubarek" ahead of Gul Bayrami or Flower Day celebrations] on a statue of Heydar Aliyev. May 10 is celebrated as Flower Day but also as President Heydar Aliyev's birthday. Since 2009, the government spent millions on celebrating this holiday bringing in flowers from all over the world and throwing them away two days later. This year however, as a result of the escalation on the front line and deaths of Azerbaijani service men, there was a symbolic celebration planting flowers. 

Strangely while the government pays its respects to the military personnel it did not do the same when ten days before the first celebrations of the Flower Day in 2009 there was an attack at the State Oil Academy killing more than a dozen of students and professors according to official data. 

So where does this all leave us?! Well, where we see that nothing has really changed in Azerbaijan and that official Baku's revolving door policy used against its critics is very much alive. And if the government is so much about respecting the dead, then we should cancel Azerbaijan's participation in Eurovision song contest, the Formula 1 race, and all other upcoming celebrations until we resolve all our troubles. 

This of course is called wishful thinking...

Azerbaijan's long tradition of carousel voting- we know it very well!

When you are from Azerbaijan and have seen a few elections in your life time, you know very well all the various kinds of violations and fraud that take place on the day of the elections. One of these frauds is carousel voting. While the name might remind you of your childhood memories, the act itself is something in some countries people might get arrested for, because it is at the end of the day, a version of fraud. 

So let me tell you briefly how it happens in case you don't know- a group of men and women get dressed and with their ID cards head to the polling station on the day of the election. They walk in, sign up, and fulfill their duty as a citizen. 

But that day, their duty isn't just voting. Their duty is to vote as many times as possible before they get caught (or unless they get caught). But even then, there is no guarantee that the very same people wont' show up at another precinct all set up for yet another "fraud vote". 

I consider myself lucky, because I have actually seen the "heroes" of this act myself. 

Two years ago, I was an independent observer during the Presidential election in Azerbaijan. I was at my precinct observing two polling stations. There were four other independent observers. I was the only one with a camera which startled the head of the polling station at first. He frantically demanded that I show him my press card which I didn't have to have as an officially registered observer. After nagging and questions which seemed to last a lifetime, I finally pulled out my media accreditation as well. Which shut him up, luckily but only briefly. Each time I took my camera out, he jumped up and down (certainly not of the excitement) and tried his best to divert my attention. Long story short, I received several terrible comments from a few teachers employed by the school calling me all sorts of names because I was "obstructing" their job which consisted of rigging votes. And they had no shame, they were doing it in front of my very own eyes, in public. 

But back to carousel voting and what I saw that day. 

So earlier I saw a woman who came wearing big sun glasses that covered most of her face. She had long hair in a ponytail. She was also dressed nicely. She came alone. I took a picture of her, thinking about why people in Azerbaijan like to wear sunglasses in closed spaces. 

Few hours later, as I stood in my spot watching people come in and register I saw the same woman, this time, with no make up and she of course ditched the sun glasses. This time she was with a kid. 

When I asked the jittery head of the polling station about her, he literally told me not to worry and that she wasn't voting again (even though as he was talking to me she took the ballot and went into the booth) and that she was simply "responsible for making sure people in her neighborhood all cast their votes that day". 

I didn't say much. I smiled. Stepped aside and watched the rest of the circus in silence. It was then when I realized there was no point. No matter how many international or independent observers were there that day, no matter how many questions I asked and comments I made, it was all decided a long time ago and there was nothing I could do. 

So I was not surprised at all, when I saw this video shared my Meydan TV with the head of the Lankaran District Executive Office giving orders to the "electorate" as to whom and how they should vote on November 1.

This is how Aliyev rolls folks. Oh and if you still think there will be different results, just make sure you are not betting that day, YAP will win with a bunch of fake "opposition" and "independent" candidates.

Azerbaijan, the land where parents denounce their children: Thank you Mr. President! You have done your job here!

Just when you think it cannot get any more worse, this [AZ] happens. Allow to explain for those who do not understand and speak Azerbaijani. Gunel Movlud is an Azerbaijani writer. She has an incredible talent for nailing down the right words in her writing. She is smart. She is also an editor of Meydan TV, media outlet started by a former political prisoner himself, Emin Milli. In the last few months, Meydan TV faced a number of issues with the government- its journalists were persecuted, several of them questioned at the grave crimes unit. One of Meydan TV journalists was thrown into 30 day administrative detention for allegedly "swearing at the police". 

Gunel's story is unique however. Based outside of Azerbaijan she has continued her work from afar. Some two weeks ago two of her older brothers were arrested at the same time in two different towns. They are charged with drug charges and are facing possible 3-5 years of jail time if convicted. 

Yesterday [October 21], Gunel Movlud's mother Shofkat Shafiyeva told BBC Azeri service she is denouncing her daughter. "If my daughter won't denounce Meydan TV, then I am denouncing her" said the mother to BBC Azeri service. 

But Gunel Movlud is determined to continue her work and she has not intentions of stopping her cooperating with Meydan TV. 

On her Facebook status right after her brother's arrest she wrote the following: 

"Friends, I do not want to talk much about what has happened. Even a child would understand these arrests are targeting Meydan TV. They don't want anyone to work with Meydan. They are using relatives to pressure. But I won't give up my work with Meydan TV, or with Emin [Milli]. I will not distance myself from the people who work with Meydan. The arrest of my two brothers left my parents who are both battling with their health to death. Yes, I am afraid, of my family, my child, of my family getting ruined this way, of my life, of the life of my relatives. They can do anything. I am afraid and fear is absolutely normal. But I will continue my work even if I am afraid. This is not a sign of some bravery. It is just I cannot see myself live a different life. It has been a long time since I have completely removed the "and" in "life and activity/work" without even knowing it. Those who cannot keep silent will continue to speak up. With love to all people with dignity!"