Azerbaijan and West: between oil and human rights, or what think of us in Lithuania
DELFI.lt website published an article of Konstantin Amelyushkin the following content:
“Sunny Azerbaijan known with its pomegranates, bright culture, oil and… political prisoners.
Azerbaijan takes a specific niche in foreign policy. From one side, the country-participant of the European programme ‘Eastern partnership’, one of the active advocates of which is Lithuania. Other side, Azerbaijan does not intended to be strongly involved in this initiative.
Azerbaijan is known with hereditary and almost perpetual title of president. Not so long ago a current leader of the country Ilham Aliyev has reminded himself about the world media, when it was reported that he had appointed his wife as vice-president of the country. But Azerbaijan is also familiar to the experts and with sad situation in the field of observance of human rights.
This country is known with low position in everything that is concerned democratic freedoms. Azerbaijan is a member of the Council on Human Rights and Council of Europe, but number of independent organisations such as Human Rights Watch repeatedly criticized the government of the country due to violations of human rights.”
“Space for independent activity, critical journalism and political activity of opposition is actually become narrow through arrests and courts over many activists, human rights defenders and journalists. Legislation and instructions have limited an activity of independent groups and their opportunity of secure subsidies”, – Human Rights Watch writes.
In Freedom House index for 2015 Azerbaijan took 189 of 199 places. But, nevertheless, the EC and Lithuania do not hide their interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan, first of all, in energy sphere. In 2016 an issue of human rights observance in Azerbaijan was discussed in special hearing conducted with an agency of the USA Congress, which watching the norms of human rights around the world.
“Since 2014 the Azerbaijani government headed by President Ilham Aliyev has strengthened a pressure on dissenters, persecution of journalists, political opposition, religious figures and representatives of civil society. Funded by the USA Radio Liberty Europe/Radio Liberty and few American NGOs were expelled from the country, an observer of Radio “Liberty” Khadija Ismayilova was imprisoned on fabricated charges, had kept one and half year in prison and was released under the international pressure. According to reliable sources, there are more than 100 political prisoners in custody”, – were said in materials of this commission.
Everybody has heard about imprisonment and further replacement to house arrest of famous human rights activist Leyla Yunus. She spent more than one and half year in prison. Leyla Yunus was sentenced to eight and half years in prison on accusation in fraud and evasion on taxes.
There are few opposition movements, independent journalists, bloggers and civil activists in the country, and time by time it occur arrests among them.
MFA of Lithuania: It is discussed all range of issues with Azerbaijan
Recently, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammaryarov has visited Lithuania. On April 24, in Vilnius, he discussed with his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevičius political and economic cooperation, relations of Azerbaijan with the EU and the security situation in the region.
“We welcome actions of Azerbaijan, which has officially begun negotiation with the EC concerning new legally binding agreement. We are not in doubt that the agreement will reflect in proper way general aims and challenges for the EC and Azerbaijan”, – stated Linkevičius, being added that Lithuania is ready to continue the cooperation.
According to the minister, Azerbaijan is one of the main trade partners of Lithuania in the Southern Caucasus, but he noted that it has not used a potential between the countries to cooperate and Lithuania is interested in development of bilateral relationships. In this connection a work of the fifth session of intergovernmental commission of two countries will be begun in an autumn.
The ministers have discussed a situation in the region, in course of which Linkevičius noted that Lithuania attentively watches over situation in Nagorny Karabakh and supports the resolution of conflict through negotiations.
The press-service of the MFA says nothing whether in course of the visit was discussed the situation concerning human rights violation in Azerbaijan, therefore DELFI has addressed to the MFA for specific comment on this issue.
The MFA of Lithuania noted to DELFI that Lithuania seeks to develop democracy not only in its country, but also to encourage its development in other countries.
“Human rights and democratic freedoms are the basis of democratic state. Therefore we seek not only in Lithuania to implement international commitments in an area of human rights, but also encourage the development of democratic values in other countries”, – it said in response of the MFA to DELFI portal.
The MFA has emphasized that in course of bilateral dialog to Azerbaijan it are discussed the issues from various fields.
“We have discuss in bilateral dialog to Azerbaijan as issues concerning security, economic so and the issues of human rights. We are setting ourselves high objectives in ensuring fundamental freedoms, and we also hope for our partners. We hope that at execution of the decision of the European Court on Human Rights concerning imprisoned activist in area of human rights Ilgar Mammadov will be found positive decision”, – is said in the response.
Ilgar Mammadov is a political prisoner, a leader of Azerbaijani opposition movement “Republican alternative” (REAL).
Not so long ago DELFI could talk to one of the popular bloggers of Azerbaijan Omar Mammadov, who is also a head of youth movement “Akhyn”, a former member of opposition party “Civil solidarity” after that entered in the NIDA, which is considered to be revolutionary movement. O. Mammadov is an active blogger. At one time he was one of the administrators of the page “Selection from AzTV” in Facebook, where had posted the materials that ridiculed the authorities of Azerbaijan. In 2014 he was arrested and sentenced to under article linked with drugs. But, he was in prison not all period as he was released earlier. According to him, this is a common practice of political trade of the Azerbaijani authorities to the West.
There were earlier the facts of criminal persecution in Azerbaijan of the young activists and active users of social networks on accusations, linked with drugs.
“I live in Azerbaijan, I was arrested in January 2014. I had to be arrested earlier, but due to I was in Cyprus they could not arrest me. But, Department for Combat to Organized Crimes arrested my father. He was kept for day there and after telephone talking with me I could conceive them that I would come back to the country, and my father was released”, – told Omar to DELFI in Vilnius.
– Why do they want to arrest you?
– That time I was a member of civil movement “NIDA”, and an organizer of the action “Stop to solders’ death” and an administrator of the page in social networks, where had in caricatures been portrayed president Ilham Aliyev.
– “Stop to solders’ death” – what is it about?
– This action held in January 2013. For the last ten years it was the biggest action in the centre of Baku and had gathered 3,000 men. 8 member of NIDA were arrested. There were two men who were active in social networks. These were Abdul Abilov and me. He was arrested at the same day that my father to. Abdul was arrested by Department for Combat to Organized Crimes, but for some reasons they let him go. Later in January 2014 he was arrested by Department for combat to drugs. Six grams drugs “were found” in his pocket. Thus, the most part of the bloggers in Azerbaijan are detained under the article connected with drugs.
– What do you think, why you were released?
– I was sentenced to five years, but two years and two months later I was released. The process is such that our state periodically arrests civil activists, who turn into the political prisoners, and periodically releases them and detains new ones. The state had to arrest new people, and I was “an old” political prisoner. I think that it was associated with pressure of Europe and USA to the state.
– What is the main reason that Azerbaijani authorities do not want to contact to civil society?
– Since 2013 it has begun pressure on the activists and NGOs, it were closed the office of Radio “Liberty” in Azerbaijan, University “Free word”. It was connected with that these activists attracted new generation to the process, and the state saw that it is impossible to stop them. Therefore, they were tried to be stopped through arrests. Authorities arrested the key figures after that the process had been stopped. But, after that political prisoners were released they could not continue like before their activity. It was adopted new law on NGOs, their accounts in the banks were under the control of state; members of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International are not allowed to visit the country, and create obstacles those people who were involved earlier in the active movement. For example, employees of Radio “Liberty” were needed to move to Prague.
– What are you doing now?
– At this moment I have no serious obstacles and pressure for my activity, but one time in two weeks I can be called to the police station, district police inspector will conduct interlocution. There is no serious pressure and reasons to leave country. But if there are the reasons and even threat of arrest I want to stay in country and continue my activity. Earlier and now I am a leader of the blog, and I am one of the famous bloggers in Azerbaijan. I have contacts to all activists; I arrange the meeting, visit the homes of political prisoners and am trying to light their situation and history in media.
– In one of video polls in the streets of Baku, when Aliyev appointed his spouse as prime minister, people told nothing bad about situation in the country. How do you explain such responses? Is everybody pleased?
– I do not think that everybody is pleased with situation. Rather, it is connected with fear. If to speak to camera something critical then one can be called to the police station, where one will be interrogated. In homes, on the word of mouth these people are not pleased with neither the authorities nor the Aliyev’s family, but nobody will openly speak about this before the camera.
– How much does sharply stand by an issue on political prisoners, if to speak about relationships between the EC and USA?
– The US sanctions, the so-called sanctions of Smith, were to be accepted, but this did not happen. Steps towards Azerbaijan have not been made. Azerbaijan is known for its bribery diplomacy and can bribe diplomats in the EU, manipulating them as puppets. We consider that Europe towards Azerbaijan is softer than USA. USA criticizes more the regime and exerts pressure on it. And Ilham Aliyev manipulates by political prisoners as much as possible, who he periodically releases, and then continues to arrest new ones.
– What does one deed to write in order to be included in a list of unreliable from standpoint of the authorities?
– If you criticize Aliyev and his family then 99 of 100 % you would be arrested. 1% is a chance that you status saw nobody or it could not make any resonance. But mainly one can be arrested for critics of the president’s family or him. As for ministers and members of parliaments, they might be criticized ad lib. It will not entail anything. When it concerns to Aliyev, this is a red line. Further is the arrest.
– What does in country happen in order to change situation?
– I do not think that the elections can be impact on situation in the country because there is no free choice. There is no one opposition deputy in the parliament. There are those who were appointed by the state, no any opposition deputy. I do not think that there are legal opportunities to change situation in the country because every time Aliyev through falsification of the elections receives 95% votes. The only way to change situation is revolt of the people, revolution.
– What percentage of people supposing that the country needs to be changed?
– For the last two years we have twice had devaluation. After the first devaluation people became very aggressive. In the districts needy people have begun to protest, but the state could calm down them. After the second devaluation aggression of people became stronger, money lose its weight more than twice. Everybody has debts in the banks; they cannot pay the debts as the salaries are not enough. If just walk for Baku streets you may see that people are aggressive, they barely make ends meet. It is rare one may see in Baku smiling man. They are not pleased, but this cannot be called a movement, they are just dissatisfied people.
– How does the current government keep the power in such unstable social base in the country?
– If take into account that the Aliyev’s are in power from USSR time then they are in power 40 years. The power is kept on fear. They keep all Azerbaijan in fear. But, there were protests in the regions, for instance, the events in Ismayilly, when a head of executive power had insulted people; people rebelled, they had burnt a house of the head of executive power, cars, but the state could stop it through violence. However, there are no serious protests; the protest movement does not develop at all. So, if something begins it would be scaled and consequences of such actions would be bad for Azerbaijani people and state. Unfortunately, the state does not understand it and every day adopts the laws that favourable for itself, and people becomes more aggressive. If all these explode then to everybody would be bad; the sequences would be serious for everybody.
Political scientist: is there any politics in respect of Azerbaijan?
Commenting on relationships between the two countries, political scientist Vitis Yurkonis noted that according to research, the situation concerning human rights in Azerbaijan is a worst among the countries of the Eastern partnership and on its indicators it is closer to the Central Asia states than, for example, to Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine, which “have to work also in area of human rights”. According to V. Yurkonis, Baku policy in respect of Europe is often called as “caviar diplomacy”.
“Many, probable, have heard a term ‘caviar diplomacy’, to which is often outlined a policy of Baku in abroad. It especially seen in the Council of Europe, but there are politicians in the European Parliament, who quite open support a regime in Azerbaijan, or, at least, keep silent human rights violations there. It is unclear how, for example, Azerbaijan could chair the Council of Europe, an organization that calls itself the main human rights organization on the European continent, which declares democratic principles, etc. This quite correct illustrates what place takes human rights in relations with Baku. Energy, undoubtedly, takes priority direction. The tone of the USA is sometimes more critical, but partly this is due to geographical circumstances”, – says V. Yurkonis.
As for policy of Lithuania, which also declares supporting of democratic values, rights and freedoms, then in this plan according to the expert, one need to answer on question whether exists in principle any policy in respect of Baku.
“Azerbaijan like all states of the Eastern partnership is often seen through geopolitical prism. Not solved for dozen years Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but not human rights is the most sensible theme that connected to this country. A lot of young politicians have taken part in various youth forums and conferences in Baku; therefore they have good contact and relationships to some representatives of the authorities. Visit of a head of the MFA of Azerbaijan shows it. If we want to see Azerbaijan as part of Europe, then human rights and freedoms, independent mass-media, principles of legal state should be an integral part of it”, – concludes a political scientist.
“An issue, on which one need to answer, whether Lithuania has any policy in respect of Azerbaijan, – continues V. Yukonis, speaking about relationships to this country. – Whether we conduct the policy of ‘two levels’ (communication to official Baku in order to have an opportunity to arise other issues, among of which issues of corruption, human rights, quality of democracy) or communication occurs in on principle ad hic? Lithuania has not much information on Azerbaijan and demand on such policy is quite small. But, taking into account what tasks set Lithuania in issue of policy of the EC Eastern neighbourhood then informed and principal position would be a logical continuance of the current policy”.
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