Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

ARIT, the American equivalent, was (again, I've been told it, so its really just hearsay) financed directly by the CIA until the 1990s.

Found a book that mentions ARIT and the CIA - so it is no longer just hearsay.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=20QVQzezYu0C&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=%22American+research+institute+in+turkey%22+CIA&source=bl&ots=0Av1EiCaAy&sig=XyILDyE_HphsJCvfa5g1EDlcHmU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4ZYIUf_9BciY0QW5gYHQBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22American%20research%20institute%20in%20turkey%22%20CIA&f=false

[Vrej1915]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Azerbaijan: Secret Videos Threaten Top Presidential Aide

January 29, 2013

A series of videos depicting graft inside the halls of power in Azerbaijan could have serious implications for one of the country’s most influential officials, 74-year-old presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev.

The scandal, known as Gulargate, erupted last September when the former rector of Baku’s now-closed International University, Elshad Abdullayev, published an online video showing himself discussing the $2-million price tag for a seat in parliament with Gular Ahmadova, an MP for the governing Yeni Azerbaijan Party and her assistant, Sevinj Babayeva. Abdullayev is said to have secretly recorded the video in 2005. It appears to implicate Ahmadova in the sale of parliamentary seats, and seems to identify Ramiz Mehdiyev as a beneficiary.

Abdullayev, now a political refugee in France, has since published 10 more videos that purportedly reveal widespread corruption in Azerbaijan’s executive branch, judiciary system and law-enforcement agencies. All of them place Mehdiyev in an unfavorable light. Some show Abdullayev negotiating for the return of the $2 million after he lost the 2005 parliamentary elections [6]; others document his negotiations with a Supreme Court judge and Interior Ministry mediators about bribes and a ransom for the release of his brother, Mahir, a senior official at the Ministry of National Security, from kidnappers.

In interviews with Azerbaijani media outlets, Abdullayev has pledged to release about 800 more such videos during the run-up to Azerbaijan’s October presidential elections. His aim, he claims, is to find out what happened to his brother, who was kidnapped in 2003, and whose whereabouts remain unknown.

But local experts and politicians believe that Abdullayev’s real aim is to undermine Mehdiyev. And some suspect that he isn’t acting alone.

A patriarch of Azerbaijani politics and an important ideologist for the incumbent administration, Mehdiyev is widely seen as one of the most powerful public figures in Azerbaijan after President Ilham Aliyev. A former Communist Party ideologist, he has been a top presidential aide for nearly 18 years, beginning under Ilham Aliyev’s father, Heydar. Aside from his executive-branch role, Mehdiyev wields considerable influence over legislative matters, law-enforcement agencies and the country’s regional administrations.

Mehdiyev repeatedly has denied involvement in the bribery schemes discussed in the videos, and dismissed Abdullayev as a “criminal” with a reputation for “selling diplomas.” As yet, he has not been questioned by investigators.

President Aliyev has not yet commented publicly on the scandal. But political analyst Elhan Shahinoglu, director of the Baku-based Atlas research center, predicts that if more videos appear, Aliyev will have to address the issue before Azerbaijan’s October presidential elections. Following recent riots in the town of Ismayili [7] and protests in Baku [8] over perceived abuses of power, the government, arguably, must tread gingerly in an election year.

“Honestly, even if Ilham Aliyev wins a third term in October, I do not see Ramiz Mehdiyev in his administration after it [the election],” Shahinoglu said.

At the same time, law-enforcement agencies are unlikely to make Medhiyev the subject of a corruption investigation while he remains in office, Shahinoglu added.

Economist Natik Jafarly, one of the leaders of the opposition group REAL, is among those who don’t believe that Abdullayev, a man not known as being a trailbazer for transparency, is acting alone. “I do not think that Elshad Abdullayev is just an angry person who lost his brother, university and lots of money. … It is a political process.”

The Public Chamber, a mainstream group which unites the country’s two largest opposition parties, Musavat and the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, does not conceal that the videos will be a focus of their upcoming presidential campaign.

Who exactly stands to gain from any fall from power by Mehdiyev remains an open question.

Opposition-linked Azerbaijani media have speculated that the videos’ release could be tied to First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva’s relatives, who form the backbone of the influential Pashayev clan. The group has interests in several important financial sectors, including banking and insurance.

Jafarly suggested that Pashayev’s involvement in the scandal stretched the limits of credibility, given that the videos, viewed collectively, paint an unappealing picture of Azerbaijan’s ruling elites. “[I]t is like shaking a boat in which they are all sitting,” he commented. “Abdullayev’s videos are harming not only Ramiz Mehdiyev’s reputation; they show how corrupt the whole government and the system are.”

In response to the videos’ appearance, the General Prosecutor’s Office has launched a corruption investigation against Ahmadova, who has lost her parliamentary seat and YAP membership, and has been placed under house arrest. In addition, a Supreme Court judge, Aghababa Babayev, has been fired.

Ahmadova’s assistant, 41-year-old Sevinj Babayeva, died from heart failure in an Istanbul hospital in late December – an event that only intensified speculation about the scandal.

Editor's note: Shahin Abbasov is a freelance reporter based in Baku.
2012 © EurasiaNet

[TomServo]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

The British Institute of Archaeology in Ankara's library has a "banned books" section where they keep any books dealing with Armenian subjects locked away out of public sight. They now call it the restricted books cupboard and say the books are just restricted because they are rare books (strange, then, that most are on the same subject) - but in the 1990s they were more honest about the name of it. BIAA, I've heard, was originally partly a front for NATO intelligence gathering - that is probably why in the 1950s and 1960s they did archaeological work in Eastern Turkey. ARIT, the American equivalent, was (again, I've been told it, so its really just hearsay) financed directly by the CIA until the 1990s.

I'm 10 minutes in. I'm hoping Mr. Mitchell will mention the "rare books" collection by the end of the lecture.

Edit: He mentions the library but I didn't hear anything about the rare books collection.

And you'd think a British institution would know better than to conflate British and English. The lecturer calls the institute Ingiliz in Turkish.

[Mher]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Mher, your volunteering for our homeland is inspiring .
I've read your posts and you seem to me to be a thoughtful , considerate , caring , and intelligent person .
We may not have the same opinions on every issue , but I find no reason ( none at all ) to be rude , obnoxious , or any other foul thing towards you just because we don't agree on everything .
I wish you well in your endevours and think Armenia is fortunate to have a son like you .
Art ashes

Really appreciate it! Feeling is mutual
Hopefully I can make something of myself in the states in the next 3-5 years, and move permanently to be able to make some real difference.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Azerbaijan Arrests Two Opposition Leaders
February 4, 2013

Two prominent critics of President Ilham Aliyev's government were arrested in Azerbaijan on February 4 on charges of orchestrating the unusually daring anti-regime protests that took place in the town of Ismayilli late last month.

Coming after a run of arrests of protesters in Ismayilli and Baku, the detentions suggest that the government's unease about impromptu demonstrations in a presidential election year is not lessening. (Particularly with a Davos retreat in Baku this April, to boot.)

Prosecutors claim that Tofig Yagublu, deputy chairperson of the opposition Musavat Party, and Ilgar Mammadov*, chairperson of the opposition group REAL and a former political analyst, are to blame for instigating the demonstrations, which followed January 23 riots after a car accident that allegedly involved the nephew of the Ismayilli region's governor, Nizami Alakbarov. Yagublu and Mammadov reportedly traveled to Ismayilli to encourage protesters only after the demonstration itself, RFE/RL reports. Other sources say that poverty and the regional elite's high-handed behaviorhttp://www.eurasianet.org/node/66454 "> were the real cause of the unrest.

If proven guilty, Yagublu and Mammadov will face up to three years in jail.




*Ilgar Mammadov is an ex-board member of the former Open Society
Assistance Foundation-Azerbaijan, which was part of the network of Open
Society Foundations. EurasiaNet.org is run under the auspices of the
Open Society Foundation's Central Eurasia Project, a separate part of
that networ

[Vrej1915]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Reporter Warns Of Dangers Of Reporting On Azerbaijani Protests

http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijani-protests-ismayill/24893826.html

February 05, 2013

An Azerbaijani journalist says the authorities have attempted to curb his reporting of protests by offering him bribes and arresting his brother.

Elchin Ismayilli, a correspondent for the opposition "Azadliq" newspaper, was one of the few journalists covering the protests and riots in Ismayilli, a town 150 kilometers northwest of the capital, Baku, which took place on January 23-24.

After taking and uploading pictures and videos of the protests, Ismayilli says he was targeted by the Azerbaijani authorities and was only a step away from being arrested.

“I was offered bribes, told not to cover the protests, to stand aside and only observe. I was told not to spread information on social networks,” Ismayilli told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service.

The protests erupted in Ismayilli after the authorities refused to shut down a local motel, which was allegedly functioning as a brothel. Rioters torched the motel, which was reportedly owned by the son of an Azerbaijani minister.

In a tightly controlled media environment, Ismayilli was one of the few journalists taking footage of the protests.

Ismayilli says that the threats and offers continued until February 4, when he said the authorities decided to switch tactics and arrest his brother.

"My detention could attract attention because I'm a journalist so they arrested my brother [Elshan] instead. I think this is connected with my activities. Now the threats and pressure on me have cooled down. They think they have made me silent," he says.

Elshan Ismayilov has been charged with instigating public disorder. On February 4, two Azerbaijani opposition leaders were arrested and charged with organizing mass disorder and, according to their lawyer, will face trial in the next few months.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Ալիեւներին մնացել է մի բան

Իգոր Մուրադյան
Քաղաքականություն - Հինգշաբթի, 07 Փետրվարի 2013, 10:06

Տեղեկություններ կան, որ Ադրբեջանում Հեյդար Ալիեւին կարող են սրբերի շարքը դասել: Թերեւս ժամանակի ընթացքում Ալիեւների ընտանիքին «սուրբ ընտանիքի» կարգավիճակ կտրվի: Հիշում եմ հայտնի ադրբեջանցի ընդդիմադիր Ռասուլ Գուլիևի հետ հանդիպումը, ով մեջլիսի նախկին խոսնակն է, քաղաքական էմիգրանտ, լեգիտիմ միլիոնատեր ու Ադրբեջանի բազմաթիվ քաղաքական կուսակցությունների հովանավոր:
Հանդիպումը տեղի է ունեցել Վաշինգտոնում Ջորջ Հոփքինսի անվան համալսարանում: Այն կազմակերպել էր համալսարանի Կենտրոնական Ասիայի ու Կովկասի ինստիտուտի այն ժամանակվա տնօրեն Չարլզ Ֆարբենքսը: Հայտնի էր, որ Ռասուլ Գուլիեւը փորձում էր կապեր հաստատել ԱՄՆ հայկական կազմակերպությունների հետ եւ Նյու Յորքից այդ անգամ ժամանել էր Վաշինգտոնում հայկական քաղաքական կազմակերպություններից մեկի հետ հանդիպելու համար:
Ինձ հետ զրույցում նա հարցրեց. «Դուք ապրել եք Բաքվում, ինչպիսի՞ն է Ձեր կարծիքը Հեյդար Ալիեւի մասին, հետաքրքիր է հայ փորձագետի կարծիքը, ով ծանոթ է Ադրբեջանի իրողություններին Հ. Ալիեւի գործունեության տարբեր փուլերում»: Ի պատասխան՝ առաջարկեցի հետեւյալ ձեւակերպումը. «Այն, ինչ արել է Հեյդար Ալիեւն իր վարչական ու քաղաքական կարիերայի բոլոր փուլերում, բացարձակ խաբեբայություն է: Նա փորձել է մոլորեցնել ԿԳԲ իր ղեկավարությանը Իրանական ու Իրաքյան Քրդստանում «ներդրվելու» աշխատանքում ունեցած մեծ ձեռքբերումների հարցում: Լ. Բրեժնեւի ժամանակ փչած տնտեսություն է ստեղծել: Բացարձակ կեղծ սոցիալ-մշակութային մոդել է ստեղծել Ադրբեջանում: Գործնականում մոլորության մեջ է գցել ադրբեջանցի ժողովրդին՝ ռազմական հաջողություններ խոստանալով Ղարաբաղի պատերազմում: Միջազգային նավթային նախագծեր է ներկայացրել՝ որպես ղարաբաղյան խնդրի լուծման ու բարգավաճման հասնելու միջոց»:
Ռ. Գուլիեւը խիստ հուզված էր եւ խնդրեց հրապարակումներում չնշել այդ թեզերը, քանի որ կցանկանար անձամբ օգտվել այդ մտքերից: Նրա կարծիքով, «լսել է այն, ինչ մշտապես զգում էր, սակայն չէր կարողանում ձեւակերպել այդքան լակոնիկ ոճով»: Ես այդպես էլ չիմացա՝ հրապարակե՞լ է Գուլիեւն այդ «թեզերը», թե ոչ:
Սակայն Հեյդար Ալիեւը մշտապես իր գործունեության բոլոր փուլերում շատ վարժ ու պրոֆեսիոնալ կերպով օգտագործել է խաբելու մեթոդը: Այդ ընտանեկան բիզնեսի գագաթնակետը, որը կոչվում է խաբեբայություն, հավանաբար, կդառնա Ադրբեջանի զինված ուժերի «մարտունակությունը»: Ադրբեջանցիներին մնում է հավատալ, որ Հեյդար-Հազրաթի գերեզմանին ուխտագնացությունը դարման է ցավերից ու բարեկեցություն է: Դա հնարավոր է ապահովել նման մեծ եկամուտների ու ինչ-որ բաների հավատալու ցանկության պարագայում:

[Vrej1915]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Garakent tragedy turns 17
20 November 2008 [13:12] - Today.Az

All this story of a Mi-8 helicopter crashed in late 1991 in Martuni is one more fake myth, of the 'azerbaijani narrative' , as credible as 'albanian ancestery' of tatar torks...
It is one of the semi-dozen crashed choppers (most ours, by the way), on that period, by casual small arm ground fire...
Even more, where seriously damaged, some having to make crash landings, with loses and casualties.
Virtually no flight from Artsakh to Yerevan managed to avoid ground fire from azari villages since early 1990...., operation 'Koltzo/ring'.

At that date we had no Iglas, nor Strellas, let alone stingers, as the azari omon propaganda claimed all day... no need to elaborate about 'black' merceneries from all over the world, supposed to be in our ranks with their stingers and "most modern" armamaments...

The Jeleznovotsk trash had no chance before being signed, to begin with... it did not need the shooting of an occasional Mi-8..

Those anonymous apparatchiks on board, represented nothing more than all the other thousands of Az SSR, and could have changed nothing, whether dead or alive...
Effectively, the Mi-8 might have been shut, but rather by random groundfire, as was usual practice on that particular period.
This Helicopter left occupied Shushi, and wanted to fly to Akna (alias-akdam), while firing all the way on armenian villages.

In the fog, covering Shushi/Varanta cuvette that period of year, it must have flied pretty low to manage to shoot to our villages.
He received courtesy reply.
A lucky bullet made his way.
That's all.

No one in Stepanakert (at that time near hermetically under siege from the rest of Artsakh, since all 4 accesses under enemy control) gave a clue about those anonymous apparatchiks.
We had no operative communication, to call and mobilise all small arms available in Martuni, provided we gave any value to those guys.
The lucky guy having fired the luckier bullet, had no chance any, to have an idea of the "value" of those guys on board...

All this is a pure BS baku made, for mughams trying to find excuses for their humiliating defeat....

[TomServo]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

Turgut Özal was poisoned by Heydar Aliyev?

Could someone who knows Turkish translate what is being said in this video?

[Vahram]

Re: Azerbaijan - Internal Political Affairs

baboons!

Azerbaijan’s New Musavat party announced a reward of almost $13,000 on Monday to anyone who chops off an ear of a writer, widely criticized for being too sympathetic towards Armenians in his recent novel.

Respected writer Akram Aylisli has earlier been stripped of his pension and state awards for “insulting the dignity of his country” in a novel headlined “Stone Dreams.” The book offers a sympathetic depiction of Armenians, including scenes of violence committed by Azeris against Armenians.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20130212/179417627/Azeri-Party-Offers-13000-for-Ear-of-Pro-Armenian-Writer--------.html