Author: Azer Hasret

BBC Was Biased and One-sided

By Azer HASRET

Just a few days ago BBC World News aired an interview with two Armenian activists. One of them was connected live from Los Angeles, another one from Azerbaijani city of Khankendi.

For those who is not quite enough familiar with the region of South Caucasus, Khankendi is a city within Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan with the majority Armenian population. The city alongside with other parts of Karabakh and now Eastern Zangezur was under occupation of Armenia starting from early 1990s And the whole region was liberated by Azerbaijan during the 44-day war of 2020 provoked by Armenia to capture new lands.

As Azerbaijan managed to end the war with total victory it has offered to local Armenians to stay and live in peace. Those days Armenian population of about 30-40 thousand people was ready for reconciliation. And under the control of the Russian peacekeepers, they started again to live usual life.

Azerbaijan has kept open The Lachin Corridor for the Armenians of Karabakh to be in touch with Armenia as the region being under occupation of Armenia was connected to the latest. Thus, people have ties in Armenia, and they need to be in touch. Azerbaijan instead of being winner of the war, took into consideration this issue as well as a humanitarian need.

But after some times Azerbaijan has discovered that Armenians are using The Lachin Corridor to carry in weapons and heavy army units in order to prepare for the new war. Alongside with this Azerbaijan managed to build completely new road connecting Karabakh’s center Khankendi with Armenia. Afterwards, a year ago the new road was open, and Armenians were happy to use this more suitable connection. But it was misused as well. That’s why Azerbaijan starting from April 23, 2023, installed new checkpoint at the border with Armenia in order to prevent illegal use of the road.

Afterwards Armenians started to spread a propaganda, that Azerbaijan is “killing 120 thousand peaceful Armenians in Karabakh through starvation”. They call it even a new “genocide” again Armenians by Turks…

But during these past months no single Armenian was killed due to starvation. And Azerbaijan did not close the road in full leaving it open for humanitarian needs. And by today as well Armenians are using the road in both directions to connect between Armenia and Azerbaijan Karabakh region. (Plus, Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society has sent 40 tons of wheat flour for Armenians in Karabakh which is still blocked by the Armenians and can’t be delivered to the people in need…)

Instead of this situation Armenians are trying illegally pass through The Lachin Road. And Azerbaijan is preventing them from doing this. Plus, Armenian propaganda machine calls The Lachin Border Checkpoint “illegal installation”. According to their minds Azerbaijan must keep open its border with Armenia with no control. Is it possible? Or is there any country on the world which keeps its borders open with no checkpoints? Does Armenia itself keep its borders open to other countries as well? Not of course! But they demand that Azerbaijan must keep its borders open with no checkpoint for Armenians, even for others from foreign countries whom they wish to see in Karabakh!

Now that was a small portion of the history or some kind of enlightenment for those who is not quite familiar with the region and the issues, which are misused by Armenian propaganda.

As the situation is very clear, BBC World News a couple of days ago has aired and interview with two above mentioned Armenians. Of course, the media is and must be free to cover any issue. But even the BBC’s code of conduct requires to be balanced and impartial while airing any news or commentary.

In BBC’s above-mentioned broadcast under the title “The Context” only one side was interviewed and given an opportunity to speak. And unfortunately, both interviewers were Armenians and both of them failed to speak in a fair manner. What did they do? Of course, they accused Azerbaijan for “killing and genociding 120 thousand Armenians of Karabakh through starvation”.

We have noted that there are not 120 thousand Armenians in Karabakh. This is a small portion of population with a figure of between 30 to 40 thousand people.

What was stranger and more unacceptable, the BBC presented an interviewer from Khankendi, Karabakh as a “Former Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh”!

“Republic of Artsakh”? Where is it? What is that? Does the world know about this so-called republic? Not of course! There is nothing called a “Republic of Artsakh” and no world country, no international organization recognizes such an entity. But the BBC, seems does “recognize” it…

Of course, we could stop a bit on the wordings of the interviewers. But we don’t do that. Because it was alongside with official Armenian fake propaganda and based on the accusations towards Azerbaijan with no base!

We understand Armenian propagandists. But it is not easy to understand the BBC which is to serve the truth and only truth.

That’s why as a career journalist with about 30 years of professional activity and international practice I do accuse the BBC’s this kind of stance and call on this news media to air apology and refutation. Hope, that BBC will find enough courage to do this…

September 5, 2023
Kazakhstan on the Eve of the Presidential Election

As Kazakhstan is entering new era of development, my Kazakh colleague compiled a piece to shed a light on the today’s political landscape of the country. In order to share these valuable views, I decided to share his article with our esteemed readers. BTW, Presidential elections are set to be conducted on November 20, 2022.

Kazakhstan is Entering an Era of Change

Anuar Azimov – Public Foundation “Center for Political and Social Research”, Almaty

Each regular election cycle actualizes new challenges to society and authorities in any country in the world. In an era of unstable geopolitical situation, as well as ongoing conflicts, the domestic political situation in Kazakhstan remains relatively calm.

Issues of stability and planned development are an important basis for the satisfaction of social strata with their position.

For example, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and gaining independence, new countries needed a strategy for the development of a sovereign political and economic system, taking into account the current financial realities, mentality, and the national composition of the subject.

In this context, the basis for the systematic development of Kazakhstani society is peace and stability. The cornerstone in this case is inter-ethnic harmony and inter-confessional harmony. These approaches made it possible to preserve and increase the functional viability of the statehood of Kazakhstan over the period of independence.

However, international turbulence and a systematic change in the world order pose new challenges and threats to the country. The main task for Kazakhstan at this stage is to strengthen statehood, cohesion and progressive economic development.

In this regard, the political and institutional reforms put forward by the current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev correspond to the current realities and are conditioned by the desire to further increase the welfare of Kazakhstani society.

In this regard, early elections, as well as an increase in the term of the presidency, will provide an opportunity for the current head of state to fully build the basis for the implementation of a package of reforms necessary to build a just and prosperous people of Kazakhstan. This is indicated by the positive experience of many democratic Western countries, which took time to build a strategy, systematize and nurture the necessary personnel for the full implementation of evolutionary reforms.

It is now that the moment has come when the Kazakh society, having passed certain years, is ready to accept new changes and transformation for Kazakhstan to become one of the most developed countries peace.

November 10, 2022
British Media Failed to Cover Terror Attack on Embassy in London

By Azer Hasret

On August 4, 2022, a group of radical Shia Islamists had attacked the Embassy of Azerbaijan in London. The action happened early afternoon at a worktime. What was strange British police was present and they did not prevent attackers from this wrongdoing.

According to media reports radicals approached Embassy’s building, entered, took away some of the belongings and damaged them.

Then a dozen of members of the group went on the balcony of the Embassy, hoisted so-called flag of Huseyn. Some of them wrote something in Arabic language on the walls and windows of the Embassy which is located at the 2nd floor of the building.

Afterwards one of the assailants approached the flag of Azerbaijan, took it away and dropped on the street.

The national flag of Azerbaijan, pictures of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his father, former President Heydar Aliyev were walked through by the radicals on the street.

And these actions were perpetrated before the eyes of London policemen who were very tolerant towards these wrongdoings.

After some 2 hours of the action policemen arrested several perpetrators. Everything was filmed and aired live.

Wasn’t this strange?

That was.

In the center of the city like London a group of radicals attack an embassy, damage belongings and policemen present do not take action to prevent this vandalism…

That was strange appearance in the most known and most secure city of the world…

So as this action happened one could think that the UK media would cover this kind of attack in the city. But what happened to the most “independent” and “free” UK media?

According to the reports most mainstream media of the UK preferred to keep silence regarding this terror attack on the Embassy of Azerbaijan…

Being a citizen of the new democracy – Azerbaijan we were really shocked not due to action of vandalism taken against the Embassy, but due to the silence of the UK mainstream media.

Wasn’t that really news worth case? Imagine, a group of radicals claimed to be Shia Islamists attack an embassy, damage its property, and this happens in more than two hours period in front of the UK police. And this story is not news worth for the UK media.

But we remember even one man whatever does in London and across the world the UK media covers it. Usually, they like to show while someone claiming to be Muslim takes any radical action. The UK media covers this kind of cases bringing to readers/viewers/listeners as a case of “radical Islam”.

Now what happened? A group, attacking Azerbaijani Embassy claimed to be Shia Islamists and they are known as radical group. They claim to be “Mahdi Servants Union” and stated an attack as response to the Azerbaijani Government “repressions” against Shia Muslims.

Just to remind, Azerbaijan is a secular new democracy, and no religion is suppressed here. But some people misusing Islamic religion for dirty purposes by the order of the Islamic Republic of Iran are trying to destabilize Azerbaijan. So, the Government of Azerbaijan takes preventive measures in order to assure stability and security. In this case radical religious groups claim to be oppressed and the likewise groups as “Mahdi Servants Union” use this opportunity to showcase against Azerbaijan.

And in this case the UK mainstream media keeps silence, turns blind eye and thus shows its bias towards the nations and countries.

That was the UK media which used to cover even the garbage dumps in Azerbaijan during the 1st European Games staged in Baku in 2015. They were paying very high “attention” on Azerbaijan using any small opportunity.

But what happened now? Why the UK media failed to follow the principles of impartiality and media ethics and prevented itself from covering a brutal attack on the Embassy?

Was that due to the Embassy being the Azerbaijani one? What would happen if the radical “Muslims” would attack any other country’s embassy like for example the Embassy of Armenia or etc.?

We believe, that the UK media would cover this attack as “terror attack of Muslim group on Christian country’s embassy”.

Then they say that the UK and even all Western media are free and independent…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjNnNaigNB4

August 8, 2022
A Long Journey of an IDP Journalist to His House

By Azer HASRET

This is my friend and colleague, sitting on the remnants of the wall. He is a well-known journalist and a very active citizen.

For those who has no information about this person and a place where he is sitting, this is just a photo.

But for me and for all those who know this person and the place where he is sitting on the remnants of once a house, this is a tragedy. Very deep human tragedy.

Seymur Verdizade on the remnants of his house after 27 years. 13 April 2021

A person on the photo is Seymur Verdizade, very famous Azerbaijani journalist. Studied in Turkey and worked for very famous media outlets of Azerbaijan for more than 20 years. Nowadays he is an editor-in-chief of comparatively new media unit Yeni Sabah.

Seymur was born in Karabakh, Azerbaijan. To be more clear, he grew up in Soltanli village of Jabrayil region of Azerbaijan which is located in the South part of the Republic of Azerbaijan near the border with Iran.

While asked about his memories he told me that left the village in 1993, before the occupation by Armenia and during the next 27 years never could return back. As Armenia occupied Jabrayil regional center – city of Jabrayil as well on August 23, 1993 none of its residents were able to get back. All of them were ethnically cleansed and some were even eliminated through killing.

“My village – Soltanli was occupied on October, 1993. Last time I was there on September, 1993. Once Armenian Army entered the village my family members escaped through Khudafarin Bridge on the river of Araz and entered Iran’s territory. Then they moved to Baku”, narrates Seymur…

Seymur’s some relatives also were among those killed by Armenian occupant Army. But those who survived lived in other parts of Azerbaijan as an IDP (Internally Displaced Person) and waited for the day when they will have opportunity to go back.

Seymur also lived as an IDP during these 27 years. He also believed that one day will go back to their village and kiss the walls of the house where he grew up as a happy child within the family once very happy.

All those, who were ethnically cleansed from the occupied by Armenia lands believed to go back and see the houses, yards, even everything which they left behind while leaving Karabakh…

But while Azerbaijani Army liberated from Armenian occupation the lands of Karabakh one by one the scene was horrific. No any building, road, even forest was as before. Everything was destroyed in total and all houses, schools, other buildings were wiped off the earth.

During those 27 years Armenians not only kept under occupation those lands, but they looted them in order to wipe off the traces of aboriginal population.

Liberation of Seymur’s village – Soltanli was announced on October 19, 2020 by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev through his social media account.

“I can’t describe my happiness. Everyone was congratulating each other and we could not believe that the time is approached when we’ll have an opportunity to go back to our village”, says Seymur. “We just everyday prayed and waited for that hour when our steps will land on the village of ours.”

But Seymur’s journey to his native village was not very close and easy. Even as the war ended on November 10, 2020 after Armenia’s capitulation, more than 700 thousands IDPs could not and even today can’t return to their houses. The reason is very simple: Armenians destroyed all their houses and looted everything. To rebuild and return people to those lands will need several years and huge amount of money…

Even not for living, just to see. This is impossible as well. The reason in this case is the landmines planted by Armenians everywhere which needs tremendous work of demining. Hundreds of thousands landmines are planted in total area which was under occupation of Armenia.

After liberation of the lands Azerbaijan started demining and one by one cities and villages are demined. Seymur’s Soltanli village also was among those which was demined partially and some people could enter the village.

Seymur was among the journalists whose trip to the liberated lands was organized on April 13, 2021. They visited Jabrayil region and he was able to step on the soil of his village after 27 years!

The photo and video are depicted on the remnants of the building which was Seymur’s family house. He was born and grew up here. And one day Armenians occupied, destroyed, looted and wiped off everything in this village as well. Seymur’s memories and the history of the people of those lands were wiped off as well.

Armenians claim that Azerbaijanis are barbarians. They claim that Azerbaijanis are destroying Armenian heritage everywhere including Karabakh. But the case with Seymur’s house clearly shows who are barbarians and who really is destroying whose heritage…

Soltanli village before Armenian occupation

Anyway Seymur is happy and thankful to the Azerbaijani Army and its Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev for making possible this tremendous victory. He believes and is ready to get back to live in his village. He says, that as all other IDPs he is ready to rebuild his house as well and return to the lands where his childhood was spent. He wants to live side by side with childhood memories but says it will be impossible. Because Armenian occupants destroyed the area in total and even it was not easy to find the remnants of his native house…

Does not matter what would happen. It is important that Azerbaijan liberated its lands from the long term occupation of Armenia. That is important! Hundreds of thousands of IDPs believe and work to rebuild Karabakh. This way Azerbaijan will show who is real barbarian and who is builder.

December 3, 2021
Azerbaijani NGOs Appeal to the International Community

By Azer HASRET

As is known, on September 27, 2020 Occupational Armed Forces of Armenia had started military offensive against Azerbaijani positions and civil settlements. As a result Azerbaijani Armed Forces had to react and started counter-attacks. Thus the war, which lasted 44 days and ended with the victory of Azerbaijan, had started. Day by day Armenian Army had to step back and on November 10, 2020 the sides signed a Statement to stop war operations. The Statement was initiated by the Russian Federation.

During those terrific days Armenian Armed Forces launched hundreds of rocket attacks on civil settlements. Mostly those settlements were outside of war scene and even hundreds of kms off. Thus one of the most suffered cities was Ganja, some 60 km away from Karabakh and war zone.

On October 3, 2021, on the eve of the first Armenian rocket attack on Ganja, a group of Azerbaijani NGO representatives traveled to the city to express their solidarity with the suffered people and even with the all inhabitants. The city of Ganja was attacked with rockets 5 times and saw huge damages to the city killing dozens of peaceful civilians.

NGO representatives, visiting one of the most suffered areas, convened a conference in Ganja dedicated to the attacks on the civil settlements. At the end of the conference participants adopted An Appeal to the International Community which is included below.

An Appeal to the International Community in Regard to the Military Crimes Committed by Armenia Against Cities and Districts of Azerbaijan in 2020

03 October 2021, Ganja City

As a reply to the next military provocation committed against our country by armed forces of the Republic of Armenia on September 27, 2020, the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan had started contra attack operations and had liberated the lands belonging to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

As a result of successful military operations conducted by our army the military forces of Armenia were completely destroyed. With the aim to compensate the loss in the field of battle the Government of Armenia had chosen the civil population living in the cities and districts out of the frontline of the war shooting from different types of heavy weapons including artillery and ballistic rockets committing crimes and military crimes against the mankind and killed civil population including women and children making damage to the property of population as well as infrastructure facilities in a large scale

Thus, the second largest city of Azerbaijan Ganja faced heavy artillery and rocket attacks during the dates of October 4, 5, 8, 11 and 17. In general, as a result of these horrible terroristic acts 26 persons lost their lives, 175 persons were wounded, and a huge number of civil infrastructure facilities and vehicles faced significant damage.

In general, based on the order of the Government of Armenia not only Ganja and Barda, also Yevlakh, Beylagan, Tartar, Gabala, Goranboy, Aghjabadi, Khizi and other cities and districts were attacked with ballistic rockets and other type of heavy artillery weapons. As a result of this military aggression 454 civilians were wounded, 93 civilians died including 12 children and 27 women, totally 12.292 residential and non-residential areas as well as 288 vehicles had been significantly damaged.

Because of this above-mentioned reasons, we as the NGOs of Azerbaijan with the deep feeling of concern would like to attract the attention of international community to the crimes committed against mankind by the political and military government of Armenia a year ago and we are stating that the international humanitarian law especially Geneva Convention adopted in 1949 had been seriously violated.

We, the NGOs that are active in Azerbaijan who are signing this appeal on behalf of civil society of our country would like to apply to human rights protection organizations, NGOs, media representatives, parliament members and governments in all over the world calling them to express their protest regarding the military crimes committed against the civil population of Azerbaijan by Armenia and to announce this type of military acts against civil population as unacceptable.

Signed by 49 NGOs

October 7, 2021
An Open Letter to the Congressmen Tony Cárdenas, Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman

Azer HASRET

We, the people of Azerbaijan just learned that you have acted in the House of Representatives to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, which includes an amendment in regard to our country. In your amendment we witness many fake accusations which press us to share our position openly.

First of all you claim that “On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan, with support from Turkey and foreign militia groups, launched a military assault on Nagorno-Karabakh”, “resulting in the deaths of thousands and displacing tens of thousands of ethnic Armenian residents”.

Just to enlighten you and your supporters I’ll recall the statistics delivered by official Yerevan that about 30 civilian Armenians were killed during this 44 days of war, not thousands. And military personal which were eliminated in thousands in the territory of Azerbaijan were mostly of Armenian citizenship, not Karabakh residents. Thus Azerbaijan eliminated foreign occupants and cleansed its territories from the foreign occupants which is not against any international law or obligation.

By the way, Armenian occupant army launched dozens of rocket attacks on civil settlements of Azerbaijan out of war zone during this war and killed more than 100 civilians. Among them many kids, children and women fell victim of Armenian rockets.

Then you claim that Azerbaijan used “support from Turkey and foreign militia groups”. Are you serious? Do you know that no any foreigner fought in the side of Azerbaijan and there are no any evidences proving that? Just do not fell a victim of Armenian propaganda.

You are citing the tripartite statement by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia from the November 10, 2020 to end the conflict. This statement really oversees exchange of all POWs, and the conflicting sides really had returned all of them immediately after the statement was signed. Thus Azerbaijan and Armenia both have no POWs after this date. But ugly Armenian propaganda is spreading fake information that Azerbaijan is still keeping Armenian POWs. And people like you are volunteering to be a tool for this propaganda.

Again, to enlighten you, Azerbaijan has several Armenian detainees, but they are not POWs as those people were stopped and detained at the end of November 2020 while illegally entered Azerbaijani lands, killed several Azerbaijanis including civilians. They all are citizens of Armenia and captured in the territory of Azerbaijan. Even most of them are freed and returned home. Going back they claimed that Azerbaijan tortured them, but they could not provide evidences of torture.

And a question for you: if any well equipped military group would enter the US illegally and kill people what would your government do with them? In such a case would you call on the US Government as well to release these people untouched? I believe that you’ll say no.

Once, you’re citing on “The Third Geneva Convention, of which Azerbaijan is a signatory, and customary international law” which “require the release of prisoners of war and captured civilians upon the cessation of hostilities and require that all detainees be treated humanely”.

And again you are claiming that “the Government of Azerbaijan continues to detain an estimated 200 Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, and detained persons, misrepresenting their status in an attempt to justify their continued captivity”.

Again, I’ll call on you to be serious. If Azerbaijan has released all persons who were captured before the end of the war, how you can claim that my country is still keeping POWs? Just ask the Government of Armenia and they will tell you that Azerbaijan had released all detained persons who were captured during actions of war days.

While seeing your citation of the Human Rights Watch and Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights reports, once more we see manipulation approval by such organizations. This kind of “human rights” organizations are always used as a tool to serve the interests of those who pay.

I was surprised while reading your claim that Azerbaijan could subject to sexual assaults woman detainees. Just to enlighten you once more, there is no any female detainee of Armenian origin in Azerbaijan. Even due to other crimes as we have more than 30 thousands of citizens of Armenian origin out of Karabakh, which lived all these years of conflict in peace in Azerbaijan.

You say, that “Armenia has fulfilled its obligations under the November 9 statement and international law by returning Azerbaijani prisoners of war”. You are right. And Azerbaijan did the same as the sides exchanged mutually in this regard.

Thus your demand to call on Azerbaijan to “immediately and unconditionally return all Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians” falls apart for having no ground.

In regard to your baseless claims on “Azerbaijan’s use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs, and prohibited munitions deployed by Azerbaijan against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Nagorno Karabakh” I’d say this is a joke by your side. No evidence on these fake claims as well.

I believe that you were maybe drunk while claiming “Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s recruitment of

foreign terrorist fighters to participate in Azerbaijan’s offensive military operations against Nagorno Karabakh between September 27, 2020, and November 9, 2020”. Why do I think so? Just for very simple reason. A person must be drunk or very far from the issue to claim this way.

Turkey helped Azerbaijan in this war in political and moral realms and we – the people of Azerbaijan and Turkey are happy with this. But no any person from Turkey or beyond was engaged in military actions in this war. For very simple reason: Azerbaijan does not need this kind of support as we have very professionally trained and well equipped Army. Plus if compare with Armenian Army and even two nations, Azerbaijan’s military, economic and human power is more from Armenia’s for several times. There is no logic to involve foreign fighters while the country has quite enough power. You as a member of Congress had to know this.

And at last I’d call on you and likewise people to stay away and let the people of Azerbaijan and Armenia to find common language. We here in the Caucasus, which is very far from the US know better how to deal with issues of conflicts between ourselves rather than you. If people like you will stay away from the issues and will not make any interference we’ll find solutions to all questions in our geography. Once we reach an agreement with Armenians you’ll see that we can live together in peace and prosperity. And without your involvement…

With hopes to be understood,

Mr. Azer HASRET

A Journalist, Human Rights and Civil Movement Activist

Former Candidate to the Parliament of Azerbaijan

September 25, 2021