Sunday, August 9

Man down (Updated)

The soccer player Cavid Huseynov will be spending his time on the bench until there is thorough investigation into his role in the murder of Rasim Aliyev.

Huseynov's cousin, is detained.

Police claims they know the identities of others involved in the beating.

At least this time police is doing something, or is pretending to do something. Or is the sudden "progress" is the result of public outcry? After all, we have seen this happen before. Not so long ago, just few months back with the fire that killed 15 people in Baku, it was the outcry on social media platforms first that made the government "really" look into the case. Not that it did much but at least it pretended to. So its pretending to do something now too.

It is a matter of time for us to see what this pretending will all come down to...

In the meantime, RIP Rasim.

***
Rasim had no idea an invitation "to talk over a misunderstanding" will end so tragically. For him. He was beaten, threatened before. He was an independent journalist working in Azerbaijan, what can you expect after all?! Of course these were the norms, the usual part of the package that came when one signed up to be an independent journalist in a country like Azerbaijan.

Rasim died at the age of 31 this morning at a hospital. He died because someone miscalculated their strength and beat him "too much", "too tough", for far too long. But surely they had no intention of killing him. At least this is what the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor Office claims. In their official statement they say it was "intentional infliction of body harm, resulting in death". No one seems to mention that Rasim's murderers stole his wallet, his phone. No one counts the fact that the man died after all and that surely someone who calls you swearing at you in the first place and then invites you "to talk it over" wont have the best intentions in mind? 

No, these are not the questions asked. Because who cares about yet another journalists' life end abruptly? Before his time! Before all the things he could do in his life?  

So far, neither the soccer player, nor the cousin who called and swore at Rasim and then invited him for tea have come forward or said anything. Will they come forward or are they shitting their pants? Or perhaps they are not shitting their pants because they will never be caught and most likely someone else will face the court and get a sentence? 

The truth is Rasim died. Because he was allowed to get beaten and murdered. Because this is what Azerbaijan has become. Lack of education, lack of rule of law, lack of justice and transparency, brutality and aggression - its safe haven for criminals, thugs, to do what they like and that includes government representatives too by the way.

Who knows who will be next...

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