Author: Emma Nadirian

Over the past several years, the journalist has lived in Turkey. However, representatives of the Azerbaijani pro-government media and one part of society repeatedly subject her to attacks and intimidation.

Despite attacks, Arzu Qeybulla is currently writing a book on political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

Receiving threats due to cooperation with Armenian newspaper

[Movlud] Arzu, why did you leave Azerbaijan? Was this because the question of inobedient journalist was raised there?

[Qeybulla] I was 16, when I left the country for the first time. At that time, I was admitted to the American Council’s student exchange programme [Future Leaders Exchange Program] and I left for the United States for a year to study.

This is where my adventure began. Returning home, I finished the 11th form and entered Bilkent University in parallel to this. I left for the place for four years. I took a bachelor’s degree with distinction in international relations. Afterwards, I took a one-year master’s course in global politics at London School of Economics. Completing my studies, I moved to Turkey, where I was offered a job.

In 2017, I returned to Azerbaijan on business. At that time, I was already working in a think tank as an analyst. At the end of 2009, I moved to Baku. However, after a year, I finally left the country. But then again, I often visited Azerbaijan on business. However, it was in 2014 that I went there for the last time.

[Movlud] Over the period of you cooperation with Agos, you were strongly criticised because of your cooperation with Armenians. What did you feel at that time?

[Qeybulla] My cooperation with Armenians did not begin in Agos. It began back in 2009, when I was in the Imagine centre, working at first as a trainer, then as a facilitator, and later as a co-director.

The organisation continues working in the conflict management sphere even today. We have different programmes and we have worked with different groups from Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In 2013, we held the first dialogue between the journalists of the two countries. The dialogue was successful and after returning to Turkey, I was offered to work as a correspondent in the Agos newspaper. At that time, particularly after the dialogue, I found the offer interesting and I agreed.

My friends warned me that I was going to face difficulties because of this. However, I thought that I was able to overcome everything. In fact, I was not doing anything new here. I just continued my work in the conflict management sphere, writing about conflicts. However, I really had no idea about what was lying ahead.

I was persistently persecuted for a long time. They even threatened to kill me. They threatened to kill not only me, but also my family. They wrote and published terrible things about my parents. I saw “journalists” slinging mud at my deceased father. However, it was the reaction of absolute strangers in social networks that was most threatening. They wrote about me and my family, saying that I was a traitor and a cheap whore. They wrote the same about my parents. One can never be ready for things of the kind.

At first, it was extremely hard to experience this. Frankly speaking, I just did not know how to struggle against this horridness. There were moments, when I wanted to disappear forever. I was lucky to be surrounded by friends and colleagues, who showed support for me.

This was the most difficult period in my professional life. I was not going to give up journalism. However, I once advised my brother to renounce me, when he complained to me that my “activities” caused him damage. He took no interest in how I felt.

A short while ago, they showed a documentary film on female journalists, who were subject to intimidation. In my interview, I described this period as a black spot. This might sound dramatic, but this was the darkest and the most dangerous time for me. I am grateful to my friends, colleagues, and many organisations, which rendered help to me. If it were not for them, things would have had a worse end.

Opposition media outlets have to work outside Azerbaijan

[Movlud] When did you visit Azerbaijan for the last time?

[Qeybulla] I was in Baku in 2014 and this is when I visited my father’s grave for the last time.

[Movlud] Which of your articles or pronouncements do you think turned you into an enemy of the Azerbaijani authorities?

[Qeybulla] As far as I understand, [this happened] after my interview in the Modern.az newspaper, when I was asked to speak about myself, my job, and experience. Later, the interview was reprinted without permission by many Azerbaijani editions, including the pro-government media. In my opinion, this was a blow for what I wrote in international editions and said on international platforms.

[Movlud] Over the past several years, many opposition figures have been leaving Azerbaijan. They are by no means sitting idle in Europe. Moreover, they have created a concrete circle and media. Now that effectively no independent portal or newspaper has remained in Azerbaijan, what do you as a journalist think of bloggers, TV stations and news portals functioning outside Azerbaijan? Can they fill up the information space of your country?

[Qeybulla] Of course, you cannot fill up the information gap in the country, unless you are physically in Azerbaijan. However, as you have said, in case of a disability of the kind, this is one of the versions. This is better than being without information at all. Given the situation, these people are doing their best.

Opposition figures, media threatened even abroad

[Movlud] After many activists moved to Europe, the authorities have opened a new phase of putting pressure on relatives and friends, as well as persecuting [those] abroad by means of cyber attacks. What is the main danger these people are facing and what should they fear?

[Qeybulla] These are first and foremost journalists working on different platforms. They should heighten their cyber security, protecting their websites from cyber attacks.

The technologies, which the Azerbaijani authorities are currently using, allow them not only to attack websites, but also to crack their accounts, obtaining information.

Next is that you should by all means have a Plan B for your relatives, who are still staying in the country. Experience has shown that no-one is safe.

You need to warn all your acquaintances, friends, and relatives about the dangers they might face if the journalists and activists proper happen to come under the blows from the government.

[Movlud] Have you ever been aware of danger because of your relatives?

[Qeybulla] At present, I do not perceive any danger. However, four years ago, when they first threatened to kill me, I also felt worried about my relatives and friends, of course. However, I also realised that living in fear was not a way out.

Of course, there are moments of the kind even today. However, I try not to think long about this. Life is anyway short and I do not think that it is healthy to spend life in fear. That is why I try not to think about this.

[Movlud] We know that countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Turkey are dangerous [places] for Azerbaijani opposition figures. For example, over the past several years, Turkey handed over “two enemies” to the Alieyv regime. Against this background, do you have no fear of living in Turkey? I know that you travel a lot and that you are not there at the moment. However, being a resident of Turkey, you often stay there.

[Qeybulla] I have lived in Turkey since 2010. A lot has changed over the past eight years. In 2016, I obtained Turkish citizenship. I do not know whether this fact makes me feel calm or not. As I have already said, there are moments, when I think hard of the danger.

A short while ago, we founded here an association for foreign journalists. I would like to believe that this will help ensure the safety of other journalists, as well as that of mine.