Azerbaijan, where cost of life= cost of taking part in a protest

The lucky number of protestors arrested during a rally in Baku organized online and attended by few thousands on January 12th received their "verdicts". Each of the lucky 24 activists, were fined, ranging from as little as 300AZN (~300EUR) to as high as 600AZN with the total of fines adding up to 11150AZN.

Below is the list of names and their fines.

1. Ebulfez Gurbanli-500 AZN
2. Babek Hesenov-600 AZN
3. Renad Najafov-600 AZN
4. Rashad Hasanov-600 AZN
5. Zakir Rehmanov-400 AZN
6. Vusal Bayramov-500 AZN
7. Tural Abbasli - 600 AZN
8. Ulvi Hesenli 600 AZN
9. Mehemmed Ibrahim 500 AZN
10. Isayev Hemid 500 AZN
11. Kazimzade Azer 400 AZN
12. Elisoy Eltac 300 AZN
13. Subhi Hesenov 400,
14. Turgut Gambar 500 azn
15. Abil Huseynov 400 azn
16. Rail Abbasov 300 AZN
17. Turkel Azerturk 600 AZN
18. Ramin Hacili 450 AZN
19. Tezexan Mirelemli 500 AZN
20. Rauf Memmedov 300 AZN
21. Firuz Agayev-300 AZN

22. Tural Hasanzade- 600 AZN

23. Anar Agammedov-300 AZN
24. Nurlan Bayramov-400 AZN

Incidentally, the government is ought to pay around 10000AZN to the family of Ceyhun, the soldier, whose death caused such reaction and led to the protests organized on Saturday. 

Whether it is a coincidence that the amounts are so close to each other is a mystery. 

The young men, all were fined under the new law on mass gatherings, as a result of which fines were increased 30fold. 

Heart failure or torture, that is the question

A solider died. His name was Ceyhun Qubatov. He left his home approximately three months ago to fulfill his obligatory military service. He never returned.

His family was first told, he died of a heart failure. Strangely, Qubatov never had a heart condition, not according to medical reports prior to his military service, not during the service. 

Following desperate cries from his family (including photographs of the deceased that explicitly showed bruising over his body), an investigation is now launched, with some 15 suspected conscripts. 

Interesting isn't it? If it wasn't for Qubatov's family members' cries, this so- called "investigation" would never take place. I wonder whether those 15 suspected soldiers are actually suspects? Surely some of them will go to the tribunal, no one will dare to punish any of the high command military personnel who probably committed this treachery.

And of course, if initial report said Qubatov died of a heart failure, then why, all of a sudden there is an investigation, suspects?

It is just sad. A solider died. Life is lost. A young life. A life that had a future. But someone decided to end this life early. That someone will most likely never get punished for this, instead, someone else will rot somewhere in jail.

To commemorate the death of Qubatov and many more soldiers who "mysteriously" died (not during combat) of conditions as "heart failure" (and others) during their military service, a silent march is planned on January 12th at 16.00. A Facebook group [AZ] called "An end to death of soldiers" [with an impressive number of attendants already in its first day] reminds its readers that in no way this is a political protest, instead it should be seen as people's chance to say "Stop!" to this injustice, calling on anyone with conscience to come and join the crowd.

Incidentally one of the organizer's of the Facebook page, Ilkin Rustemzade reported of a police hunt on him. According to Rustemzade, his house, his relatives' homes, all received visits by local police officers in their "witch hunt" on him. Could it be a coincidence that all of a sudden he is on the radar? I wonder what is the explanation for this? Wait a second... I think we might already know this scenario- could it be hooliganism?