Aliyev’s regime is carrying out repressions by imitating the fight with islamic terrorism
On July 3, 2018 the attempted murder took place in Ganja city. Shooting Yunis Safarov has injured the head of the local executive power – Elmar Veliyev and his body guard. On July 10, 2018 there was protest in Ganja, where two colonels were knifed.
During the meeting of the first half- year results, held on July 30, 2018, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan Zakir Garalov made a statement that in connection with latest developments in Ganja, 61 people were brought to criminal responsibility and arrested. He called them “the representatives of radical religious groups”. During his statement, he also indicated that 4 men were killed by special service due to armed resistance. Another 13 were put on wanted list. The number of articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including terrorism, possession of weapons, the attempt to coup were brought against all arrestees.
On August 1, 2018, the resident of Ganja, Mr. Ismayilov (born in 1994) was detained at the checkpoint “Shixli” located at Azerbaijan – Georgia border. He was also reckoned among the radical religious group.
The attempted murder (on July 3, 2018) of the head of the local executive power in Ganja – Elmar Veliyev served as the cause for the further wave of mass repressions under the guise of fighting against “Islamic terrorists”. Already, on July 4, 2018, the photo of the brutally beaten, lying in the pool of blood Yunis Safarov appeared at social network.
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Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Republic for Public and Political Issues Ali Hasanov referred to above mentioned assassination attempt as ordinary criminal offence. However, the resonance within the society, caused by the posted photos of beaten almost to death Y. Safarov, and open support of residents of Ganja towards Safarov have led to the change in the strategy of Aliyev’s regime. Now Safarov was called Islamic terrorist, who -according to the official statement of the law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan Republic has been at the same time Shiite (received education in Iran) and Sunni (fought on the side of ISIS in Syria).. In addition, he is the part of the large detachment of Islamic terrorists.
It is important to stress on the number of facts here:
1. Who is Elmar Veliyev?
Elmar Veliyev is the head of the administrative power of Ganja city since 2011. He is the representative of the Kurdish clan from Armenia. The head of this clan is Beylar Eyyubov, who is the chief of the presidential security since 1993. This clan controls Western Districts of Azerbaijan Republic that are bordering with Georgia. Elmar Veliyev’s brother, Khanlar Veliyev is the military prosecutor in Azerbaijan. Elmar Veliyev himself is well known for his tyrannical and despotic character in Ganja and outside of it. Not only he allowed himself to publicly insult citizens, desecrate mosque, but also to assault … Confident in his own permissiveness, Elmar Veliyev, in 2013, initiated the fight with the chief of Main Police Department of Ganja city, the Major- General Rasim Musayev.
According to the information circulated in the press back then, during the event organized by the head of the administrative power of Ganja City, the visit to the graves of the martyrs was planned. A certain woman, the relative of one of the martyrs, who arrived from Russia to pay homepage to the grave of the deceased – participated at the event. She addressed to Elmar Veliyev by using very harsh phrases, that he did not like. So Elmar Veliyev ordered the chief of Main Police Department Major – General Rasim Musayev to arrest this woman. He also ordered to drag her by her hair to the police car in front of the public. Rasim Musayev refused to fulfill this order, considering it to be beneath his dignity. After the end of the event arrogant head of the administrative power of Ganja city summoned city prosecutor and Rasim Musayev to his office, whereat he used improper language towards R, Musayev. In return, he received several slaps from the Major General. After the incident, R. Musayev, who worked for many years in Ganja police, voluntarily resigned and moved to Baku, where he was appointed as the chief of the Internal investigation department by Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Elmar Veliyev’s personality can also be characterized by the fact that he have not allowed anyone from Ganja, including police garrison to participate at the funeral of the general Rasim Musayev in September 2015. Yunis Safarov attempt was supported by Ganja citizens. Yunis Safarov name is associated now with the national heroism, the fight against despot. The songs composed in favor of the deed of Safarov and the abomination of E. Veliyev started appearing at social network.
2. Who is Yunis Safarov?
Born in Ganja, Yunis Safarov is Russian citizen; lived in Moscow; received higher education in law in Moscow. His mother teaches at Moscow’s Higher Educational Institution; his stepfather and brother-in-law are not Azerbaijanis, they are Christians. Safarov has never been Islamic radical, nor terrorist. According to his mother, Yunis Safarov took to his heart, and very sharply, all the crimes of Aliyev’s regime; criminals at power who drive citizens to the point of self-immolation, suicide.
3. Who has tortured and beat Yunis Safarov at Ganja Main Police Department on July 3, 2018?
There are two versions:
According to the first version, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Lieutenant- General Sarhan Ismayilov, and the chief officer of the criminal investigation department of the Main Police Department Qorhmaz Ibrahimov tortured Yunis Safarov. Sarhan Ismayilov made the video of the beatings with his own phone and sent it to Elmar Veliyev. Then Elmar Veliyev disseminated photos at social networks for the purpose of intimidation.
According to second version, after Y. Safarov detention, Elmar Veliyev’s son Elmir Veliyev entered with the group of guards to his detention facility. And exactly this group brutally beat Safarov. According to unconfirmed information, Colonel Ilgar Balakishey, Deputy Chief of Main Police Department, stopped the torture, and in fact, saved the life of Yunis Safarov. The photos of beaten Safarov were made by Elmir Veliyev.
The information of actual inactivity of police – during the year of the preparation of the attempted murder is also interesting. On June 22, 2017, a year before, Yunis Safarov, forcibly took the firearms away from the guard of “Kapital Bank” at Kapaz district, Azerbaijan. Police source reports that few days after the crime, citizen Hamlet Abdullayev informed police that he knew the offender, and shared information about him. In his written statement, Hamlet Abdullayev indicated that well known to him Yunis Safarov, told that he wants to get a weapon in order to murder Elmar Veliyev for his wrongdoings towards people. The policy investigator Amil Abbasov start investigation.
However, police did not take any swift actions to detain Yunis Safarov. Besides, according to the employee of Ganja Main Police Department who wished to remain anonymous, Ganja Department of Security Service received information in early June, 2018, about the planned attempt at Elmar Veliyev. Security Service sent official notice to Ganja Main Police Department. The source highlights that after receiving the information, the head of Main Police Department Faig Shabanov said following: “If he (Elmar Veliyev) was killed, we would’ve got rid of him”.
It is also interesting that after the attempt at Elmar Veliyev, police hurried to get rid of unnecessary witness. Police searched the apartment of Hamlet Abdullayev, who gave written testimony against Yunis Safarov in June 2017 and “found” drugs and weapons. Hamlet Abdullayev was arrested. It is possible that he dies in the custody under unclear circumstances…
4. Who was spreading information about rally and participated at it in Ganja on July 10, 2018?
Until July 10, 2018, not a single rally or demonstration was organized anonymously in Azerbaijan. Information regarding the protest rally (July 10) in Ganja was anonymously disseminated throughout social networks. This suggests that the action was actually a provocation that was organized by kurdish clan in order to achieve the number of goals. Just the fact itself, that there were no more than 150-200 people (and that’s according to official information) participating in the rally, whereat two police colonels were slaughtered, despite of the presence of several thousands police and internal troops on the streets – once again confirms the organized provocation.
In accordance with the Staff Scheduling there are three deputy chiefs at Ganja Main Police Department. One of the three deputies is responsible for the safety of the events and for handling the personnel during illegal rallies. The deputy chief of Ganja Main Police Department together with the head of public security department, the heads of two divisions of the given department, the company commander and his deputy are always present during such demonstrations. At the same time, several officers of the Ganja Main Police Department are present there. However, on the video, recorder by unknown, it is seen how colonel is being slaughtered and none from personnel comes to help him. The killing of the colonels was planned and organized.
5. So, who were these two murdered police colonels?
The first one was the deputy of chief of Ganja Police Department, Colonel Ilgar Balakishiyev who stopped the torture of Yunis Safarov, and in such way saved his life.
The second one – the deputy chief of Ganja city Nizami District Police, Colonel Samed Abbasov was the brother of the akhund of Ganja mosque – Tahir Abbaszadeh. Elmar Veliyev was at enmity with the akhund for many years, and exactly his brother’s colonel’s support allowed akhund to remain at large.
Thus, it is quite obvious that it was exactly the clan of Beylar Eyyubov who organized the murder of two police colonels, and Aliyev’s regime unfolded the defining propaganda of the need to fight with Islamic terrorist organization that initiated the association of the head of the executive power and two police colonels in Ganja city.
Already by August 15, 62 people were arrested and were called to account for criminal responsibility, and 5 people were murdered. Law enforcement agencies stated that killed and arrestees participate in the religious extremist organization.
6. Who was shot, alleging to the provision of the “armed resistance”?
– On July 13, Rashad Boyukkishiyev was shot dead by police in Shamkir City. He was accused in the murder of Colonel Ilgar Balakishiyev. However there is no evidence to prove this crime, and the murder of the suspect closes this case.
– On July 21, in a joint statement of the Prosecutor’s General Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and National Security Service, it was stated that previously convicted Anar Islam oglu Bagirov – a member of religious terrorist organization, who was wanted hid in the Khojasen settlement of Binagadi district, was killed during armed resistance.
– On July 21, in a joint statement of the Prosecutor’s General Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and National Security Service, it was stated that previously convicted Anar Islam oglu Bagirov – a member of religious terrorist organization, who was wanted hid in the Khojasen settlement of Binagadi district, was killed during armed resistance.
– According to law enforcement agencies, on July 25, the resident of Ganja, the member of the movement “Muslim Unity” Agha Huseyn oglu Sarhani was also shot dead during armed resistance. Moreover, National Security Service disseminated photo of the murdered Sarhani, where he was lying with the gun in his hands. It is interesting, how person who was fired point blank, while falling managed to hold the gun in his hand? The Movement “Muslim Unity” issued the statement in which clearly indicated “On false accusations in the organization of the disorder in Ganja, innocent religious people are being killed, members of movement become the targets, the authority try to create fear in society”.
– On July 28, Fuad Tofik oglu Samedov was shot dead during the special operation of National Security Service in Samukh city. According to National Security Service, F. Samedov was also killed during armed resistance, and was one of the active members “of the radical religious group” and has participated in the riots in Ganja.
– On August 10, Muraz Rahimov was killed by policemen in Sumgait city. According to law enforcement agencies, he was also the member of the radical religious group and was killed during armed resistance during the special police operation in Sumgayit.
This is the fifth case of the elimination of the suspects for “religious radicalism” and involvement to the organization of assassination attempt of the head of executive power of Ganja – Elmar Veliyev and unrest in this city.
Thus, 62 people are arrested, 13 are wanted, and 5 are killed. The regime used the attempt of Yunis Safarov to murder Elmar Veliyev to the full extent in order to organize the new wave of repressions and killings of citizens.
Yunis Safarov is currently kept at pre-trial detention facility No. 1 in Kurdakhani. He is deprived of the possibility to communicate with lawyers, he is not allowed to call his mother or wife. Azerbaijani lawyer Elchin Sadikhov and Russian Yevgeny Scherbakov are not allowed to visit him.
Presumably, the number of killed “in armed resistance” will continue to increase, as will the number of those being arrested. In May 2017, about 400 people were arrested in Terter region, and about 20 of them were murdered due to the beatings and tortures. IPD was able to gather detailed information about seven citizens who died under the torture:
http://ipdthinktank.org/Killings_orders_ru.html
http://ipdthinktank.org/Killing_orders_eng.html
According to Article 63 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, the citizen who is killed before the trial is presumed innocent, since he was killed without a court decision in his respect. But laws do not work in Azerbaijan.
The total neglect of the legislation of Azerbaijan and International Law, both in Terter (2017) and in Ganja (2018) cases is a clear evidence of established lawlessness and tyranny in Azerbaijan.
Leyla Yunus
Director of Institute for Peace and Democracy
August14, 2018
The murders continue…
On August 28, 2018, during a special operation of the National Security Service
in the Khachmaz district of Azerbaijan, was shot and killed while providing “armed resistance”, accused of religious extremism and terrorism, Niyazi Najafov. This is the sixth citizen of Azerbaijan, killed in July-August 2018, under unclear circumstances …