PASSAGES OF NONSENSE WHAT IS BAD FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH IS GOOD FOR AZERBAIJAN
Tuesday, 10 September 2013 11:45
There is about a month left before the presidential elections in
Azerbaijan, and although on the eve of this event the Azerbaijani
authorities are doing their best to prove to the world that the
situation of human rights is quite successful in the country, the
criticism by various international structures and politicians, who
accuse official Baku of the suppression of democratic rights and
freedoms, does not stop.
Recently, the well-known international human rights organization
Human Rights Watch has released a critical report on Azerbaijan.
The almost 100-page document notes the ongoing intimidation of
opposition and independent journalists, accusing them of libeling and
committing crimes. It is noted that during the year, in connection with
the arrests of journalists, the situation of the mass media freedom has
deteriorated; there is still the problem of tortures, ordered judgment
and arrests; the pressure on human rights organizations is underway.
These facts, quite eloquently describing the ruling regime of President
Aliyev as definitely authoritarian and totalitarian, have long been
stated in the world. Another thing is that the Azerbaijani authorities,
confident of their permissiveness and impunity, openly ignore the calls
of the competent international structures to improve the situation of
human rights. Moreover, following the well-known principle of “the best
defense is attack”, the representatives of official Baku are attacking
those who have “dared” to criticize the actions of the leadership of
Azerbaijan, which are incompatible with the norms of international law.
The Human Rights Watch hasn’t escaped the fate either. Commenting on
the noted report of the organization, head of the Political Analysis
and Information Department of the Presidential Administration of
Azerbaijan Elnur Aslanov, calling it a libel, said that the document
“is grossly distorting the real facts and misleading the international
community”. He accused the organization of bias and execution of
orders paid by certain groups and individuals, with the aim … of
forming a negative opinion about Azerbaijan.
We do not intend to act as an advocate of the Human Rights Watch,
believing that the organization can defend its honor and dignity.
However, let us give a fact that proves the objectivity and validity
of the conclusions of this respected human rights organization. The
other day, four former Ambassadors of the USA and EU to European
countries have published an article in the New York Times, calling on
the West to speak on behalf of those who are denied freedom in the
South Caucasus, particularly in Azerbaijan. One of the authors of
the article, former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Kozlarich
stressed in an interview to Turan Agency that he was indignant at
the fact that the Azerbaijanis were deprived of human rights. “The
authorities’ behavior is unacceptable, and the West should pay more
attention to this situation. The government’s actions against its
own people have become extremely oppressive”, said Mr. Kozlarich.
However, the authorities of Azerbaijan would have betrayed themselves,
if even in this situation would not have tried to direct the arrow
to the Armenians. As a popular saying goes, whatever the people
say, the nitty always speaks about the bath. So, nitty Azerbaijan,
represented by the above mentioned department head of the presidential
administration, saw the Armenian trace in the “machinations” of the
Human Rights Watch. It turns out that the human rights situation in
the Azerbaijani Sultanate, where, according to him, “all are equal
before the law”, is just great. One of the reasons of the critical
report’s appearance is that … “the Board of Directors of the Human
Rights Watchcomprises Vardan Grigoryan – a person of Armenian origin”.
This circumstance, according to the official, is also crucial for the
fact that “the organization is constantly limited with episodes on
Armeniaand groundlessly takes a biased position against Azerbaijan,
occasionally spreading false and defamatory reports about our country”.
And further, the representative of the presidential administration,
touching upon the Karabakh problem, turned out to be in his own element
– the element of falsehood and forgery. Accusing theHuman Rights
Watch of gross distortion of the real facts, it is he who distorts
the history of the conflict, ascribing to Armenians gross violations
of human rights and freedoms of “more than 1 million refugees and
internally displaced persons”. Let us leave the inflated figures of the
Azerbaijani propaganda upon Aslanov’s conscience (if it is generally
appropriate to speak about this). Let us only note that he is “gently”
silent about the reason of the emergence of refugees and internally
displaced persons – both Armenians and Azerbaijanis. It lies in the
fact that this problem arose as a result of the armed aggression of
Azerbaijan against the NKR, which had declared its independence. Then
comes another passage, which against the background of the rabid
Armenia-hatred in Azerbaijan does not fit into the framework of
common sense. It turns out, according to Aslanov, that the report’s
assertions on the “Armenia-phobia” in Azerbaijan are …the fruit
of sick imagination and full nonsense. While it would be fair to
consider nonsense his regular thesis that the Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh are citizens ofAzerbaijan and the Azerbaijani society will
resume their joint residence in the post-conflict period.And while
during the Soviet era even the current Azerbaijani president was not
a citizen of Azerbaijanand after the collapse of the Soviet Union
Nagorno Karabakh declared its independence.
In short, Azerbaijan is really a country of nonsense. And this nonsense
will continue until the critical reports and calls by international
structures to respect the norms of the civilized community are followed
by effective measures on forcing Azerbaijan to fulfill its commitments
assumed when joining the Council of Europe. It will also continue as
long as Azerbaijan doesn’t seek for the reasons of its troubles in
itself, instead doing it outside.
Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper
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