Isa Gambar: Consent of Rauf Arifoglu with Ruling Regime Means Compromise with Corruption (Video)

Rauf Arifoglu getting an award from President Ilham Aliyev can be interpreted as their reconciliation. However, it is not just reconciliation of the two men, for reconciliation with President Ilham Aliyev is reconciliation with the ruling regime. This was written on Facebook by the former leader of the party Musavat Isa Gambar, commenting on the former oppositionist and a former member of Musavat, editor of the newspaper Yeni Musavat getting an award from the hands of President Ilham Aliyev.

"Exit of Rauf Arifoglu from the party under such conditions is logical. We Musavatists believe that reconciliation means reconciliation with the regime plundering the wealth of our country and people, the restriction of freedoms, prosperity of corruption and bribery, injustice and lack of rights, and the existence of political prisoners. For real Musavat it is impossible," said Gambar.

In his defense, Rauf Arifoglu wrote on www.musavat.com that in respect of Isa Gambar he would never write a negative article or give a negative answer. "It is contrary to my upbringing and principles. If possible, I will tell him everything at a meeting, and if not, I would say all to a river or the sea," wrote the editor, who was an activist of Musavat for 26 years and held senior positions in the party. He left the party on the day when he received a title of Honored Journalist from the hands of Ilham Aliyev.

For several years, Yeni Musavat publishes materials reflecting the authorities' position on domestic and foreign policy. In particular, the newspaper sharply criticizes the National Council, calling it a project of Russia, and accuses the West of meddling in the internal affairs and preparing a revolution. All this has led to form an opinion that the newspaper is in hidden cooperation with the authorities in exchange for material benefits. The editor himself rejects these accusations, calling them groundless. -03B--