Ilham Aliyev is after Azerbaijanis living abroad

It all started a while back. Arrests of opposition party members during the mid 2000, beatings, and persecution. Nosey journalists had to pay a hefty fine. Elmar Huseynov was murdered in front of his house in 2005. Then came more crackdown. In 2009 Azerbaijan had the referendum. Elections meant nothing, if not a little theatre performance Aliyev regime was extremely skilled with the most recent ones worthy of an Oscar if you ask me. 

While the Eurovision song contest in 2012 put Azerbaijan on the map, it did so with all its dirty business. By this point, there were a few investigative stories around to expose corruption and behind the doors businesses of the ruling family members as well as ministers and so on. 

In the meantime, just as corruption and personal wealth of the few grew, freedoms disappeared. 

Aliyev and his cronies watched closely. Or maybe he didn't because he is too busy for that, and his minions watched closely instead. They launched a new wave of crackdown. Everyone was to be punished if it contradicted what the government was saying and doing. It did not matter any more if you were a journalist, an activist, a youth activist, a human rights defender. Everyone was a target but the officials. 

I don't have to remind you of the prominent cases that were all over the news in 2014 and into 2016. 

The releases that seemed like the good news (even though they should not have happened in the first place) brought a wave of bad news soon after. 

It was time to re-fill, replace the spots in prisons. 

We thought it could not get uglier. When 20 somethings were sentenced to 10 years in jail for drawing graffiti (!!!) the 50 something judges who have carried out these sentences went back to their homes, comfortable, warm, with extra credit for lip service in their bootlick banks. 

In the meantime, family members of those who have fled the country were (and are) terrorised by the authorities (and surely no one has been punished for this either), called into questioning, and eventually faced with no other choice but to denounce their family members. Daughters, sons, just like that, lost their families not because they died (which also happened) but because their families were forced by the circumstances. 

And it got uglier. 

When mother of a rapper was detained for four days and questioned for a video her son released forcing him to remove the video from YouTube. 

And just yesterday [February 19] an Azerbaijani activist and video blogger Ordukhan Teymurkhan living abroad received a phone call from police officer in Baku telling him "had he been a man, his sisters would not be detained". 

Here is a bit more in detail about the case: 

So here is a reminder for anyone out there who thinks Aliyev is a good guy, or that things are changing for the better in Azerbaijan. Aliyev is not a good guy. He never was, he never will. And he will continue to do whatever he wants because there are no checks and balances. And honestly, I don't know how else to explain the fact that he has never had even the slightest of the intention to change. Again, Aliyev deserves Oscars for such an outstanding performance for making many believe things might change. 

Short update on Azerbaijan (written for a separate publication, reposting here)

On September 26, 2016 Azerbaijan confirmed the adoption of 29 constitutional amendments, strengthening the power vested in the hands of the ruling regime. Similar to previous elections, September Referendum took place not without election fraud and violations. Videos, interviews, and independent reporting documenting these violations was swept under the carpet as per business as usual. As a result next presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place in 2020 rather than in 2018 as the presidential term limit were extended from 5 to 7 years. Among other changes are right granted to the incumbent president to call for early elections; dissolve the parliament; and appoint a first vice president who would replace the current president as his constitutional successor. In addition, minimum age for running in parliamentary and presidential elections was reduced to 18 years of age and so on. In a statement issued by the Venice Commission "proposed amendments would severely upset the balance of power by giving unprecedented powers to the president". 

Ali Hasanov, presidential aide described the changes as necessary in order for the government to work more efficiently. For those familiar with this small nation on the shores of the Caspian and rich in energy resources, official Baku already had all the powers it needed to run a country already constrained by corruption, appalling press freedom and human rights record. On January 24, court sentenced independent journalist Rovshan Mammadov to 30 days of administrative detention. Earlier, court sentenced member of youth organization N!DA to a similar charge while fining popular citizen journalist and blogger Mehman Huseynov for allegedly resisting police. Court in Baku in addition sentenced to other members of N!DA movement to ten years in jail on bogus drug possession charges while many critics of the regime saw this sentence as a grave punishment for the two men drawing graffiti on the statue of the late presindent on Flower day, which is know to celebrate late President, Heydar Aliyev's birthday. In addition to the case of Rovshan Mammadov and Mehman Huseynov, at least five other journalists have been arrested or detained by the authorities in recent months including Afgan Sadygov; Zamin Haji, Ikram Rahimov, Fikret Faramazoglu, and Teymur Kerimov according to monitoring by press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists. 

In the meantime the country witnessed second devaluation and price hikes, which according to the country's independent economists are direct result of mismanagement of the country's economy including wrong economic policies of diversification, presence of monopolies, and rampant corruption. Just weeks ahead of the September Referendum, Bloomberg reported about a halt in foreign currency sales as local currency manat continued to depreciate while demand by businesses and households soared. 

Overall, given the circumstances, there is little space for positive projection for 2017 as restrained conditions remain across the country and regime in Baku continues to push for its personal gains over country wide and much needed and long time overdue reforms.

What you need to know about proposal for yet another referendum in Azerbaijan?

This would be a third time our country will have a constitutional referendum.

The first one was introduced by Heydar Aliyev. A year before his death, on August 24, 2002 Aliyev introduced a number of critical constitutional amendments giving the Prime Minister the power to act as an interim President- the power which previously rested with the speaker of the parliament- until the new round of elections. It was not the only critical amendment. “The most important changes over which the referendum is believed to have been organized were the cancellation of the proportional electoral system, which implied that deputies are to be selected only on the basis of single-member constituencies; the number of votes required for the election of President was reduced to simple majority where before two thirds of votes were required; and transfer authority to ban political parties from the Constitutional Court to public courts”. 

The day of the referendum was marred by violations, fraud, and yet, passed with 97percent vote.

In 2009, Ilham Aliyev, the son of Heydar Aliyev had his own referendum on March 18, which allowed him to cross off the presidential term limit among other critical amendments. Needless to say fraud and violations were abound. You know what they say, "like father like son". 

And just when we thought it cannot get any worse, Ilham Aliyev (who has been in power since 2003) decides to introduce a whole new series of amendments in another referendum. 

So what does he propose this time? In total there are 29 proposed amendments: 

- broadly speaking to reorganize the legislative as well as executive branches; 

- Aliyev suggests to extend his presidential term by another 2 years, making it 7 years in total; and have the right to announce elections at any time;

- Prime Minister would be replaced by first vice president and vice presidents; 

- Vice presidents will have immunity throughout their service. Unless vice presidents are caught "in action" committing a crime, he/she (most likely he) will be totally untouchable;

- President would have the right to introduce "extraordinary election" for president;

- Minimum of 35 age limit for presidential candidacy will be removed;

- The age limit for parliament member candidates would be reduced to 18;

- In case of human rights and freedoms violations, civil servants will only carry civic responsibility;

- Citizenship: according to current constitution, Azerbaijani citizen can not under any circumstance be deprived of his/her right to Azerbaijani citizenship. The new amendment suggests to remove "cannot under any circumstance"; 

- Land ownership can be restricted by law

What do these mean? Well it depends on who you ask. 

Alovsat Aliyev says that for instance removing "cannot under any circumstance" clause to the article on citizenship will increase cases of forced revoking. "This has to do with the government's interests in revoking citizenship from any citizen it wants", says the expert. 

On the amendment on land ownership, lawyer Yalchin Imanov says, "so basically now, property or land will be taken. Because up until now, constitution ensured immunity of property and the government was obliged to fulfill this immunity".

But not everyone is worried. Siyavush Novruzov, a parliament member thinks, "as the country develops, its security mechanisms improve, and reforms are carried out within state structures, it is important to make necessary amendments to constitution". As for the 7 year term limit, Novruzov had something even more outlandish to say. "Azerbaijan holds elections for three consecutive years [referring to presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections]. It takes one year to prepare for each election. That's why increasing presidential term from 5 to 7 is praiseworthy". 

Something tells me this referendum will go through just like all other referendums. And president will have all that he needs to ensure his son enters politics soon enough and it all will be fine in the land of Aliyevistan.

How government of Azerbaijan educates its outspoken bloggers?

There are few things the government of Azerbaijan is really good at. Intimidation, pressure, crackdown on dissent and so on- are some of its signature moves. But there is more including arrests, beating and murder. 

But there is also the “ethical conversations” which take place between officials of Ministry of Internal Affairs (sometimes also by notorious Band Hotel) and the activists. Often they disappear for some time while the Ministry staff "works on" what Russians would describe as “vospitaniye” [воспитание] which translates into “education” but doesn’t really do justice to the actual meaning of its word (although if you think of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" you would get a better idea). 

They “explain” and “talk sense” into these men that what they are doing is essentially wrong and they should not be complaining, creating noise, and disagreeing with what government says and does. 

This time, the representatives of Ministry of Internal Affairs were trying to talk sense into a young blogger, Khalid Khanlarov. The young man was arrested few days ago and sentenced to 25 days in administrative detention for resisting police on January 23. 

Khanlarov was administrator of a popular Facebook page “Ditdili” that was critical of the government. And so it is obvious that it wasn’t him resisting the police but the authorities resisting Khanlarov’s outspokenness. 

His lawyer Shahla Humbatova says her client was forced to write a confession and in return he was given the 25 days otherwise she says he was threatened with 6-7 years sentence. 

Khanlarov’s mother was also called into the police. “Your son will meet a man named Farid from Ministry of Internal Affairs”, said the deputy chief to Khanlarov’s mother during the meeting. Later, Khanlarov speaking to his mother told her this meeting, where he was “educated”. After that he was taken to police station no.4 in Binagadi district from where he was taken to the court and received the 25 days sentence. 

So just fyi- it isn't just glitzy events Aliyevistan is good at while hiding the rest of the truth behind high walls [aka belt of happiness], when it comes to muting dissent, it can make money off consulting others how to do this best.