“If there are mafia groups inside the government, then this is also power”

The man who threatened journalist Ayten Mammadova with a knife has not yet been found. On May 8, at about 23:45 Baku time, Ayten Mammadova was attacked in the entrance of a residential building. In the elevator car an unknown person  put a knife to her throat and, threatening her demanded to stop writing about the trial, without saying which one.

The journalist stated that the attack on her was related to her professional activities. Ayten Mammadova covers the trials of Ilkin Suleymanov, who is accused of killing the minor Narmin.

There is an opinion in society that recently an atmosphere of impunity reigns in the country. Opposition activist Tofig Yagublu was accused of beating himself. In connection with the kidnapping and humiliation of social and political activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, there are no serious results so far.

Regarding the incident that happened to the journalist, the public has formed an opinion that the one who threatened her and those who stand behind him will not be found.

But, if the criminals are not identified and found this time, then what will this trend lead the country to?

These and other ASTNA questions are answered by security expert Arastun Orujlu.

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Question: As you know, journalist Ayten Mammadova, an unknown individual put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her child. What do you think of this incident? Who could do it? Who could achieve the silence of a journalist? Is this an order from the authorities or the work of mafia groups within the government?

Answer: This incident is unequivocally connected with the professional activities of Ayten Mammadova. Since I have known Ayten for almost 30 years, I can say that she is loved and respected by everyone without exception, she is a conscientious and honest journalist. Therefore, I completely exclude any personal motives. On the other hand, the criminal who attacked her, himself clearly indicated the purpose of his threat - it is connected with the fact that Ayten regularly covers the trial of Ilkin Suleymanov, who is indiscriminately accused of killing the minor Narmin. As for the question - "who is the customer?", then it is the authorities, because behind the "Narmin case" there are high-ranking representatives of the authorities, in addition to everything, the head of the General Prosecutor's Office, General Kamal Gylyjov, is mentioned as an interested party in this case. I say this as someone who is intimately familiar with the matter. If there are mafia groups within the government, then this is also power. There is no other name for this. Finally, if  the talk is about the presence of some mafia groups in power, then this in itself is very sad. But, sadly, unfortunately, it is a fact.

Question: Despite the fact that some time has already passed since the incident, there are no serious progress. Based on experience, how is it that less than 5-6 hours after the photo of the painted statue was circulated on social networks, the perpetrators of this act, which had no corpus delicti, were found and arrested on drug-related charges . However, after this incident, enough time has passed, but the offender has not yet been detained. Doesn't all this raise doubts about the existence of will?

Answer: I regret to say that I do not have much optimism regarding the disclosure of the crime. The basis for this assertion is that for many years the crimes of this type committed in the country have not been solved. I can list at least 15 politically motivated crimes that have caused public outcry and even represent a public danger, none of which has been solved.

On the other hand, if the country's law enforcement agencies can find and bring into the country some persons from foreign countries, then how can we assess their inability to solve crimes committed within the country? And here the answer is quite simple: it means that there is no will to disclose these crimes. Especially when it comes to politically motivated crimes. I am sure that, despite all the existing problems, there are enough professional people in the country's law enforcement agencies who are able to solve any crime, and they can do it in the shortest possible time. If they don't, then they shouldn't. I have no other explanation, because there are such crimes that it is not necessary to look for someone, and so everything is clear about everyone, but there is no result. For example, the Terter massacre, which we have repeatedly discussed in our interviews.

Question: There is an opinion in society that an atmosphere of impunity has been reigning in the country lately. Opposition activist Tofig Yagublu was accused of beating himself. In connection with the kidnapping and humiliation of socio-political activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, there are no serious results so far. It is said that the surveillance cameras along the route taken by his abductors did not work. And now the misfortune of a journalist. What does all this say? What are they trying to hide by not revealing such crimes?

Answer: Your question is very comprehensive and requires a deep, comprehensive answer. Therefore, I will try to touch on the main points. In a broad sense, all this speaks, first of all, of the collapse of the law enforcement system in the country. But here, too, there is a dangerous moment: we are talking not only about non-working laws, but also about turning them into a weapon against citizens, society in the hands of some criminal groups acting on behalf of the state. When you imagine that the laws and legal mechanisms that should work against a criminal serve as a weapon of crime in the hands of criminals, here we already have to think about the fate of the state. The main reason for all this is the deep criminalization of the state and authorities. I wonder if the political authorities are aware of how far such a situation can go? The current situation poses a threat not only to individuals, but also to society as a whole, to public order, but the authorities not only do not take effective steps to correct this situation, but also have no desire to do so. Apparently, the government sees in state bodies only a means to protect itself, so they are trying to hide the criminalization going on inside it, close their eyes to it. Although in the recent past there is an example of what dire consequences this approach ultimately leads to. I mean the transformation of Mahmud's MNB into a criminal gang. Apparently, this example was not enough to draw the right conclusions and take adequate steps. As a result, Azerbaijan found itself face to face with crime armed by law.

Question: There are different versions about the latest events. According to one version, some people start such games against the Ministry of Internal Affairs in order to strike at him. The second version is that all this is happening with the consent of the very top. They do it to intimidate people into silence. The third version is that some mysterious hand is trying to plunge the country into turmoil. Which of these versions is more logical? What is your version?

Answer: All three versions have the right to exist, but in the first case, the Ministry of Internal Affairs should have acted, and in the third, the State Security Service. If no action is taken, then the second version seems to be the most plausible. My version is that the authorities, in order to protect themselves, are forced to hide the crimes of internal groups, so as not to upset the delicate balance within themselves, however, as in the second version, she is interested in this type of crime creating an atmosphere of fear in society, it is also in her interest to silence activists.

Question: Some  people compare this incident  with the murder of the late journalist Elmar Huseynov, who was shot dead while exiting the elevator at the entrance of the building where he lived. Ayten Mammadova was also attacked in an elevator. The murderers of Elmar Huseynov, as well as the late publicist Rafik Tagiyev, have not yet been found. Therefore, there are those who believe that the investigation of attacks on journalists and the search for perpetrators was never in the interests of the authorities, and this attack will be another case in a series of other such crimes. What should the authorities do to refute this thesis?

Answer: I said from the very beginning that I was not sure about the solution of this crime. Most likely it will not be revealed. The murder of Elmar Huseynov has long been disclosed to society, it's just that the authorities did not give it a legal assessment. Although there are similarities between the two incidents, there are fundamental differences as well. The murder of Elmar Huseynov was a political order, and the attack on Ayten Mammadova was an initiative of one of the groups within the government. The severity of the crimes is certainly different, but at the same time, both incidents are very similar in terms of the public reaction caused. I believe that we should act now, society should take a tough stand against crime, because otherwise no one can guarantee that another murder of a journalist will not happen. Only in this case the authorities will be forced to solve the crime. If she does not have hard continuous pressure, then the authorities will not have any interest in refuting any thesis. As well as in all previous crimes.

Question: If this time the criminals are not found, what does this trend promise for the country, the authorities, the media, and society? What needs to be done so that public and political figures, all journalists, citizens live in safety?

Answer: As already mentioned, there is a rapid criminalization in the country, and first of all, state bodies, and in any case, this is a very sad trend. This can have long-term and short-term consequences, and if it is not prevented, then these consequences will be for sure. The main consequence, which will manifest itself in the near future, is that those who today carry out the order to commit a crime against a journalist, opposition politician, public activist, in order to realize their interests, will commit other crimes tomorrow. But then it will be impossible to even approach them, as they can blackmail their customers. An increase in the number of such cases over a long period of time will also exacerbate the crime situation in the country. But, as we see, the state and authorities not only do not show initiative in solving crimes, but on the contrary, they often even put pressure on those who expose them. In such a situation, society itself is the only hope. Only by mobilizing against crime and waging a tough fight against it, citizens can ensure the safety of themselves, their families and society as a whole. I don't see any other way, and most likely there isn't one.