The detention of local Eurasians continues in Azerbaijan. Following Ibrahim Hasanov and Ibrahim Humbatov, who have been in preventive detention for three months, political scientist Nazaket Mammadova was arrested late last week.
The absurdity of the charges against them - espionage and treason - is striking in this situation. These public figures, journalists and bloggers are not public officials or bearers of state secrets. Nevertheless, they are accused of espionage and in favour of Russia, as if Russia were a state hostile to Azerbaijan, whose influence must be fought and countered.
I would like to draw attention to the fact that the Eurasian Movement has for many years been involved in joint Russian-Azerbaijani initiatives to develop Eurasian integration, bringing Azerbaijan closer to Russia, and the activities of the arrested Eurasians are a direct continuation of these initiatives. The initiatives and processes that this organization, together with the Azerbaijani side, has been implementing for many years. The activities of Gumbatov and Hasanov are a continuation of those initiatives that were announced at the international conferences of the "Moscow-Baku Axis". The first part of this event was held in Moscow at the "President Hotel" in the presence of senior Azerbaijani and Russian officials, including State Duma deputies, senators and other politicians. The second part took place in Agdam, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, with an equally representative line-up.
The initiatives, declarations, aspirations, program statements that were made and discussed at these conferences were implemented by the Eurasianists of Azerbaijan. Therefore, it is not clear why they were suddenly arrested. Following the same logic, we can now arrest all even conditionally pro-Russian activists, as well as Russian political scientists, experts, bloggers who previously had relations with Azerbaijan and who were involved in the development of Eurasian integration initiatives.
Hasanov and Humbatov, as well as Mammadova, are accused of, among other things, meeting with representatives of the leadership of the international "Eurasian movement". This is despite the fact that the MED, like the Izbor Club, has never engaged in anti-Azerbaijani activities. Alexander Dugin and Alexander Prokhanov have been to the country several times, speaking mainly at events - at a fairly high level. Does this mean that they are now enemies of Azerbaijan? And if they cross the border, will they also be arrested? And the big question is: which forces outside the country are friends of the country according to local law enforcement?
Eurasians Hasanov, Humbatov and Mammadova are also accused of receiving Russian money. In fact, the Eurasian movement sent them insignificant, and I stress insignificant, funds, mainly to pay for the translation and printing of documents and books of the Eurasian programme and to provide other technical needs, such as travel from Azerbaijan to Russia for conferences . It is not possible for Azerbaijani Eurasians to travel to Russia at their own expense. Moreover, all this was done in the framework of the implementation of those bilateral initiatives that were discussed several times at Russian-Azerbaijani conferences and forums at different levels.
In other words, it is a normal work in progress that requires at least minimal financing. Strictly speaking, this modest assistance would not be necessary if the Azerbaijani authorities themselves were supporting the supporters of Ilham Aliyev's integration initiatives who are surviving on the poverty line.
But even in this case, there are no funds involved that could be attributed to any kind of criminal activity, much less the payment of imaginary acts of espionage.
I have a version of who actually ordered these arrests and detentions, because they clearly contradict the official line on strengthening the Russian-Azerbaijani bilateral initiatives that President Ilham Aliyev and his administration have implemented.
Of course, the West is not interested in the development of bilateral relations between Russia and Azerbaijan - its special services, which, unlike the Russian ones, operate freely on the territory of Azerbaijan, develop their networks, support their media. , to influence the position of the blogosphere and fill the Azerbaijani media space with Russophobia. It is also the Israeli special services that feel comfortable on the territory of Azerbaijan and correct the pro-Palestinian position taken by the Azeri Eurasians in solidarity with the Muslims and the people of Palestine.
I agree with the authors of Turan Express and note that the only forces that would like to eliminate the presence of pro-Russian forces in Azerbaijani media are the West and, more recently, Israel.
"The two casuers are Western intelligence services (CIA, Mi-6). They operate peacefully on the territory of Azerbaijan, without fear of any consequences, their agents have not been arrested, they feel quite at ease, just like Mossad, which plays on the pro-Palestinian position of the Eurasian activists of Azerbaijan."
The main result is the break in bilateral relations, the Eurasian integration initiative and the attempted quarrel between Aliyev and Putin, which logically follows from the actions of Western and Israeli agents on Azerbaijani territory.
Korovin expressed the opinion that the decision to arrest Mamedov signals a lack of independence of the Azerbaijani intelligence services. Who are they listening to in this case - their leader or their handlers in the West? And who will be the next target of the attacks?
Valery Korovin
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