Western mediation on the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the Artsakh problem is intensifying, but the lack of practical steps, the sign of artificial equality towards Yerevan and Baku, the responsibility to make a deal with the authoritarian government of Baku reduce the trust in Western mediation.
It is incomprehensible to the Armenian society why strict sanctions are imposed on Russia, and the attitude towards Baku, which is a classical dictatorship according to both external and internal assessments, is different.
Luis Bono, the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, who is in Armenia, answered the question of “Azatutyun” [Liberty]”Maybe you will impose sanctions on Baku?”, saying: “Now is not the time for sanctions. I am here to work with both sides, to lead them to peace. Sanctions will have the opposite effect. They are not even being discussed at the moment.”
Such a soft, sparing attitude towards the monarch of Baku raises suspicions regarding corruption, serving political interests and even anti-Armenian policy.
Azerbaijan is “bad” in the ratings of international human rights organizations.
In the annual report of the Freedom House “Freedom in the World 2023”, it is noted that Azerbaijan is among the 16 countries of the world that have the lowest indicators in terms of political rights and civil liberties. Azerbaijan is ranked among non-free countries.
“Azerbaijani forces continued to attack and occupy Armenia’s territory last year, threatening Yerevan’s democratic government and increasing the likelihood of full-scale war,” Freedom House states in its latest annual report on world freedoms.
The human rights situation in Azerbaijan has not improved, the Human Rights Watch organization notes in its annual report.
The organization claims that Aliyev’s administration has continued to persecute its critics, using false accusations of drug possession against political activists and critics of the government.
For what does Europe tolerate Aliyev?
The HRW has also criticized European Union authorities, arguing that the European bloc has not used the negotiations on energy deals with Baku to improve human rights protection.
On July 18 of last year, the European Commission and Baku signed a memorandum, according to which Baku is ready to increase gas supplies to Europe from 8 billion to 20 billion until 2027.
Azerbaijan wants to make sure that the EU is ready to buy gas from it after 2027 as well: Baku expects investments of billions of dollars, said Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mamedov. “Put the money on the table,” he said.
Corruption scandals in European structures were mainly related to Azerbaijan.
Journalist Mahammad Mirzali believes that Aliyev is buying everyone. “The journalistic investigation found out that Aliyev bought the German deputies through the organization SOCAR. Through it, YouTube’s opposition channels are also bought, murders are ordered, etc.”
British Prime Minister Sunak said that his country will become the main partner of Azerbaijan in building a “green economy”. 100 years ago, Britain sponsored the export of oil from the Caspian Sea and is still considered the “patron” of Azerbaijan.
The building of the Azerbaijani embassy in London belongs to the Aliyev family and is rented to the state. That mansion, as rumors state, was given aas a gift to Heydar Aliyev by a large oil company in exchange for taking over Caspian oil. Aliyev’s son-in-law Mahmud Mamedghuliyev was the ambassador to Britain for a long time, and he was awarded the noble title of duke.
Aliyev is privatizing Azerbaijan
A few months ago, Aliyev signed the law “On State and Private Partnership”. According to Baku newspapers, there is a state investment fund in Azerbaijan, which regulates the capital of large companies, and there is a private player – PASHA Holding, which collects investments for its projects. PASHA Holding belongs to Aliyev’s wife, Pashaev family. In fact, Aliyev is privatizing the funds of state corporations, the entire country, which he inherited from his father.
Hebib Müntezir, journalist: PASHA Holding bought the “Mandarin Oriental” resort in Bodrum, Turkey, the cost of which is $650 million.
Gubad Ibadoglu, leader of the Movement for Democracy and Prosperity: In January 2023, the economy grew by 10.5% in Armenia, by 8.4% in Georgia, and decreased in Azerbaijan by 1.5%.
IA Realist: The Aliyev family owns the Sofitel hotel complex in Dubai, the value of which is $1 billion. Journalist Suleymani says that it was bought with money stolen from the people.
In 2021, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published a major investigation, according to which the Aliyev family acquired real estate in Britain through offshore companies, the cost of which is about 400 million pounds. It equals about 17 properties worth pounds.
Aliyev needs the Karabakh war to launder money and perpetuate his power.
Social networks
For 30 years, the Aliyev clan has been robbing Azerbaijan under the pretext of the Karabakh war. Ordinary people only suffered from that war. In such a rich country, people cannot live so poor when the ruling power is getting richer. Aliyev started the war to be elected again and rob us forever.
Azerbaijani generals in Karabakh received real estate of $1 million. Ordinary soldiers work as shepherds for the generals.
Aliyev actually sends the money intended for Karabakh to offshores, and a couple of roads and a useless airport have been built in Karabakh. Ask, who got the gold mines in Karabakh, and from whom did Aliyev get another billion?
They buried 3 thousand people and will bury more again; they left thousands poor, only to build 3 airports in a small area, only to have the president and his friends launder money, only to have Turkish companies export minerals.
Aliyev announced that he has spent 4 billion dollars of state funds for the rehabilitation of Karabakh in 2021-22.
“Most of the countries that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union continue to be in the hands of dictators, who have turned the ties of the Soviet era into kleptocracy, enriched their family members by impoverishing ordinary citizens. These corrupt authoritarian regimes have similarly fueled instability and challenged democracy throughout the region.” Apart from Russia, Freedom House also included Azerbaijan in this list.
Naira Hayrumyan