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?

Just in- Guler Ahmadova voluntarily gave up her mandate

Yes, I didn't dream of it but its what Ms. Ahmadova said in an article published here [AZ]:

I haven't gone anywhere, I am in Baku, at my home. In order to help the investigation process I have voluntarily gave up my mandate. I continue to live as an ordinary citizen in the country" said Ahmadova in an interview with APA.

 There were rumors that Ms. Ahmadova fled the country following the video scandal, however, she dismissed these rumors. She is angry though. She is demanding Elshad Abdullayev (the man in the video bargaining for the parliamentary seat) to join the investigation.

Now its Elshad Abdullayev's turn. Let him now stop this mailing and video game, come to the investigation, and respond to all the questions on legal basis.

It is not surprising she is angry. After all she is no longer untouchable, and she lost her major source of income. I am just wondering, where does she spend this money, she must be incredibly rich? I doubt she is into philanthropy and is saving money for a greater cause, unless of course, that greater cause is something to do with her and her family?! Who knows... Thats a mystery to be resolved, or not... 

From presidency for life, to life long immunity- whats next for Azerbaijan? Life long police state?

It started with a Referendum in 2009 when Azerbaijani President, secured pretty much a presidency for life. But as this wasn't enough, in order to protect himself and his family from recent wave of criticisms and investigations targeting some of the personal and related shady businesses Azerbaijani Parliament (full of pro government puppets) passed two laws. From now on, the President and his family will have extensive immunity rights states one of the laws. The second law "bars government officials from distributing information about companies if doing so 'contradicts the national interests of Azerbaijan in political, economic, and monetary policy, the defense of public order, the health and moral values of the people, or harms the commercial or other interests of individuals."

How is this "necessary" I am not sure, so I am wondering whether the lawyer, Alasgar Mammadli,  didn't have any more concrete explanations apart from stating that "country's political landscape makes such protections necessary"? I thought we were a transparent democracy?!

Anyway, it is obvious that these new changes in our legislation are surely only meant to further embed the authoritarian rule in Azerbaijan and to limit advocates in their attempts to uncover the corrupted nature of most of the Azerbaijani leadership. What will be next? Asking for a permission to speak (though this too ain't far from becoming a reality- as those who speak of what is happening in the country are either "drug addicts", "traitors" or "hooligans")? I guess we'll see soon... how our country turns into a police state.

April 30th- we remember the tragedy at the State Oil Academy

Today while remembering what happened on April 30th, exactly three years ago,  I recollect my memories of that day, trying to once again understand the logic, the incentive and the sickening state of mind of the person who committed that terrible crime. His name was Ferda Gadirov, a Georgian national who entered the school that day with a fully loaded gun and started shooting. It didn't matter at whom, he was just shooting. At the end he shot himself as well. According to official numbers 12 people lost their lives while 13 received wounds of different degrees. Some say there were more but where to find that information and how to confirm it...

An article shared today by Radio Liberty Azerbaijani service, shares few videos from that day and commemoration a year later [AZ]. Once again the face of our state police- the little humanity they have in them shows itself all over- dispersing the crowd of young people from gathering in front of the academy, shouting at them, not letting them place carnations on the stairs of the academy. Seeing them I cannot help but wonder, what if one of those students was his son or daughter or maybe a relative- a nephew, a niece? Would it be that easy if that was the case? Or are they so brutal that even something like that would have made no difference? Who knows...

And then another article published by another online news outlet talks about how the president of Azerbaijan paid families of those who were killed a sum of 30.000AZN and to families of those injured 15.000AZN. Some of you might think this was a sign of sympathy, or generosity but it wasn't. A true act of sympathy would have been to let people live their pain, organize a commemoration for all those innocent lives, to allow for people to gather. Instead, any act of remembrance was prevented, because there was a much more important event to be held, 10 days later, it was the notorious Flower Day celebration organized to celebrate the birthday of Azerbaijan's late president Heydar Aliyev. No one cared about lives lost only 10 days prior. A celebratory concert was organized to praise the president and his achievements. You know how much Azerbaijani government spent to hold this celebration? Millions (a debated number for 2009 was around 20 million). Because its more important than lives or ordinary citizens.

If its all about remembering and commemorating (in fashion) that it should be done equally but equality is a loose term for many of Azerbaijani officials meaning little especially when it comes to ordinary citizens of this country.

As to many of us who do remember today and to all those lives lost on April 30th, I can only express my deepest condolences and add, rest in peace young men and women of the State Oil Academy...