Dispatches from Azerbaijan: News Bulletin February 22-26

On May 22nd of last year, young conscript by the name of Tapdiq Babashov was reported dead at the military base where he did his compulsory military service. But this was the official line or at least the line his military base disclosed because Babashov didn't commit suicide. Babashov's family, who didn't believe their son would end his life just like that (especially given his determination to do the military service) too the case of their son to the court. The most recent hearing was on February 25. 

Needless to say testimonies of other soldiers who served with Babshov, revealed grave rights violations at the base as well as inhuman treatment of soldiers by the base generals and other high-ranking military personnel. 

Men who testified in court said they were humiliated, beaten and even tortured during their service. One young officer recalled being punched in his stomach just at the spot where he recently had an operation. 

Point being, Babashov was not the first conscript to die in "suspicious" circumstances disguised under "suicide". According to Caspian Defense Institute stats, 71 deaths were reported (at least from the ones which were actually reported) in 2015. 35 of these were combat, while the rest were unknown circumstances, incidents, suicides and so on.

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In another news the Haydar Aliyev Fund announced it will be helping to restore the catacombs of Rome. Not the first initiative of this sort. What is interesting however is that while we are borrowing money from the World Bank, turns out, we could just borrow here at home but perhaps, President Ilham Aliyev, cannot borrow money from his wife, Mehriban Aliyev who heads the fund. 

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On February 24, the Appear Court in the town of Sheki, postponned the cases of Ilgr Mammadov and Tofig Yagublu Both men were arrested during 2013 Ismayilli uprising and were later charged with organizing these protests. Mammadov and Yagublu were as a result sentenced to 7 and 5 years respectively. In the meantime, the European Court of Human Rights issued decisions calling detention and subsequent arrest of the two men unlawful and calling for their release. 

Apart from Mammadov and Yagublu, 4 out of 20 originally detained Ismayilli residents, remain behind bars. Their lawyer believes this is because these men knew their rights and refused to take on any forced confessions and the blame. Funny that while innocent residents who spending their 3rd year away from their families locked up, the head of Ismayilli administrative office [against whose corruption and filthy behavior the Ismayilli residents were protesting in the first place] only got away with job dismissal together with his brother who happens to be [surprise!] the Minister of labor and social protection. 

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In another interesting development this past week, official Baku sent a note of concern to Russian MFA for selling weapons to Armenia. Baku demanded confirmation that these weapons won't be used along Azerbaijan's border with Armenia [to which I can only say, are f***ing kidding me?!]. The response from Russia was swift. Turns out the weapon supply is in tandem with the goal to maintain stability in the region.  

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The consequences of devaluation on the local people- lets also talk about that. 

Two devaluations later, Azerbaijan's economy is struggling to say the least. As so are the people of course. Not those who are in top that is, but those below the middle class. The biggest issue on the table is bank loans. About two million Azerbaijanis have them. The officials say they need approximately $250million in order to allow people repay their interest rates based on the rates prior to the second devaluation. I am not economist so please excuse my reasoning here- but shouldn't we first tackle the issue of loans rather than invest in road reconstruction [which is what the recent loan from WB is paying for?!]. Couldn't Haydar Aliyev Fund instead of "renovating" Italian catacombs help prevent a catacomb in the making back at home base?

You tell me...

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In the meantime the number of suicide cases continues to grow in Azerbaijan. Not a day goes without news of new suicides. In many cases it is fears over outstanding debt. 

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Azerbaijan is a country of political prisoners. This is no news. The official Baku however won't tell you this. Which is also no news. But for those familiar with the country, they would know official Baku is twisting the truth. What they also won't admit is that Azerbaijan political prisoners are known internationally, respected, and many have numerous awards attesting to their invaluable contributions in their fields. Most of Azerbaijan officials don't have any awards unless they came from Aliyev [like Aliyev appreciation society award of some sort]. They are getting these awards for a reason anyhow, and this is no news either. 

But let get back to the international fame of Azerbaijan's political prisoners [despite all the dirt the government tries to pour over them]. Azerbaijan's prominent human rights defender, Intigam Aliyev received his 4th award since his arrest. 

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And as it is usually with news programs, let us talk about sports. Well, perhaps not really sports but how spot facilities can be used for other purposes. Have you heard for instance that an Olympic Stadium can be an excellent wedding venue? Or a spot to chill and watch sports games on flat screens from cafes there? Or take a driving license test? Well, if you didn't then Azerbaijan is the place. Although the European Games are over [thank GOD] and since Azerbaijan is in crisis, some genius suggested to turn the space offered by the stadium for multi purposes. First were wedding receptions [I have written about this here]. But this is slightly above average salary makers in Azerbaijan could afford when just one seat could cost anywhere between 100-150AZN. Now the space in stadium is offered as part of uber high tech driving license course. But this isn't just any driving class. It is offered to professionals who want to be better at driving. Jamila Mehdiyeva, head of the press office at the stadium explained the idea further, "These classes are first of its kind [well of course, in Azerbaijan everything has to be first of its kind]. We create any weather condition- rain, fog, storm- for the drivers to learn how to control their cars under these weather conditions."

On and there are also tours of the stadium [in some places like in Rome, you do a tour of the Colosseum, or the Vatican but a tour of the brand new Olympic Stadium?!] VIP tours cost 25AZN, high school students can get away with just 5AZN while adults are charged 10AZN on entrance. 

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Here we are, this is the end of this past week's bulletin. Hope you enjoy it and I will be in touch with more. 

Spring clean up in Azerbaijan- just in time for Novruz

Just in time- as Azerbaijani people get closer to celebrating Novruz- a traditional holiday welcoming spring- Azerbaijani government gives them a very nice spring present as part of the spring clean up. Instead of cleaning up the mess of corruption and their own wrong doings, they are after something else. On March 17th, the Sheki District Court sentenced Ilgar Mammadov and Tofig Yagublu to 7 and 5.6 years respectively. The two were arrested in February of 2013 during their visit to Ismayili, a region in northern Azerbaijan where people embraced 2013 with taking the streets and voicing their frustration with the social injustice and power abuse.

Ilgar Mammadov is the Chairman of the Republican Alternative Political Movement. He was meant to run in October 2013 Presidential Elections but due to his arrest was unable to. 

Tofig Yagubli is a journalist with the local opposition paper Yeni Musavat and deputy chairman of the opposition Musavat Party. The two were arrested on charges of inciting violence. Unlike the court and the authorities, Yagublu and Mammadov claim their visit had no such intention. According to a statement by the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety, Mammadov and Yagublu went to Ismayilli to get first hand information of what was going on. 

If it is still not clear, let me chime in, the authorities were looking for an excuse to get the two arrested, perhaps they even developed a plan, but failed at implementing the original plan, when a new opportunity came knocking on their door. Aha! they said, how convenient, lets just arrest them when the two get to Ismayilli- there will be plenty of things then we could use against them. 

So here you have it- two more people in jail for what?! Isn't it clear that the only body responsible for inciting violence is the government itself?! How long and how many more arrests, detentions, and deaths, it is going to take for the international organisations like the Council of Europe to recognize that Azerbaijani government is is nothing short of an authoritarian state and that measures must be taken against? I guess not for a while... At least not as long as we have the oil, the gas, and of course, the caviar...

This is what you get for a pat on a shoulder

Novruz Mammadov is the chief of the department of foreign affairs of the Presidential Administration. Stefan Fule is the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy. Azerbaijan became a member of the Council of Europe in 1999. You are probably thinking what these three have in common. Not a lot, especially if you read one of the most recent statements made by Mr. Mammadov in response to Commissioner Fule's statement regarding the arrests of two opposition voices- Ilgar Mammadov and Tofig Yaqublu. Very openly and quite boldly, Mr. Mammadov threatened EU officials warning them to stay out of Azerbaijan's internal political business and instead deal with its own crisis. 

Frankly, I wasn't surprised to hear such words of deeply nourished wisdom, coming from someone like Mammadov. But the tone is astonishing. Don't mess with us or you will make the lives of those arrested in Azerbaijani much worse than it already is.

This boldness so to speak didn't come from nowhere. For years, Azerbaijan was treated gently or "hugged and held" at a safe distance for Europe's own interests. But its not just Europe. US too, taking into account Azerbaijan's strategic significance been "soft" when it came to hold Azerbaijan's corrupted leaders accountable unlike say in Ukraine or Belarus where pressure has been much higher and more visible. And so, the spoiled child of Europe and the US, Azerbaijan, grew into a spoiled adult, rarely listening anymore. Today, Azerbaijani officials fear no one. They arrest, beat, torture, because they are certain their brutality will go unnoticed (except from "very concerned" statements). Their message is simple- we don't have to listen to you!

And so, Mammadov's statements come as no surprise, after all he is not the first, and he certainly wont be the last. If you remember just few weeks ago Ali Hasanov, head of the Social and Political Department under the Presidential Administration advised Christopher Strasser to retire all together.

The importance of stability in the region, and in the country is costing Azerbaijanis a lot, which surely interests the West to a lesser extent. And while Azerbaijan receives a gentle pat on a shoulder with somewhat parenting look to be kinder, no lessons are learned- the spoiled child returns home to play with its toys, and break or throw away the ones it no longer has interest in. 

More arrests in Baku

In Baku, local authorities continue to silence voices but also skillfully are getting rid of alternative presidential candidates as it seems. Yesterday, February 4th, deputy chairperson of the opposition Musavat party- Tofig Yagublu and chairperson of the opposition group REAL- Ilgar Mammadov were arrested. Ilgar was questioned for several hours on the morning of the 4th and taken to the court. His lawyer while refraining from making any statements until the case received any final verdict after Mammadov received two months in pre- trial detention said:

This is totally illegal, a decision that has no legal basis. This decision is against the Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as well as Azerbaijan's legislation. This is a result of a politically motivated decision nothing more.

The two are being charged with instigating riots in Ismayilli. If found guilty, they are facing up to three years in jail. 

In addition, two more residents of Ismayilli- Abdullayev Mirkazım and Ismayıllı Elshen received two months in pre-trial detention. Ismayilli's brother posted the following update on Facebook:

This regime proved once again how infamous it is. By arresting my brother you will not stop me.

Natig Jafarli, the co- founder of the movement REAL, said in a video interview with RFE/RL that Ilgar Mammadov, and his movement were getting ready to announce Mammadov's candidacy in presidential elections on February 9th. It is obvious said Jafarli that this arrest was politically motivated. He added that the group's decision with candidacy is still effective.