Rustam Ibragimbekov names his enemies

August 2, is marked in Azerbaijan as the Day of the Movie, but the situation is far from festive. The government and pro-government media have launched a campaign of persecution of one of the prominent representatives of the Azerbaijani cinematography, the head of the Union of Cinematographers, Rustam Ibragimbekov. The peak of this campaign was the organization of cloning, the creation of an alternative Union, loyal to the authorities.

How will all this affect the Azerbaijani cinema?  In his interview to Turan, responding to this question, Rustam Ibragimbekov noted that his organization is and ideological public organization that protects the interests of national cinema as a whole. “That's why our relations with the authorities have spoiled. Since we strongly demand the execution of the presidential decree of 2007 on rehabilitation and reconstruction "Azerbaijanfilm", allocation of funds

For film, film school, etc.” said Ibragimbekov.

As an alternative Union, this is an attempt to split the film community. "When there are mutual recriminations, mutual insults in the Union, the society loses respect for this art form, and our government is to blame for that," said Ibragimbekov.

According to him, during the Soviet Union, the People's Front, and later cinematography enjoyed great prestige.

"Now people in Azerbaijan do not respect the cinema. I am shocked with the process of active destruction of all that had been created by Heydar Aliyev, the father of the current president. The current government is actually at war with the traditions of Heydar Aliyev," said Ibragimbekov.

What caused the attacks personally on Ibragimbekov, and who is behind this? Answering this question Ibragimbekov noted that from time to time he had conflicts with the authorities, but the Heydar Aliyev was a wise man, and answering the question why there is no dissent in Azerbaijan, he said - because we do not look for them. The current government is looking for dissidents, it provokes us. "

This is how he explained the reason for his persecution: "I say what I see."

The authorities do not like that he points to the "monstrous" realities - the looting of the treasury, corruption.

"They already robbed history. They want to prove us that the intellectual and spiritual life of our people began in 1993! “resented a playwright.

Behind all this are the head of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, and the head of Department for Humanitarian Policy, Fatma Abdullazadeh.

 "Other employees also joined us. The state with all its might hit on a small creative organization in order to destroy it, not realizing that the destruction of this organization is a confirmation of the authoritarian nature of power," said Ibragimbekov.

Does Ibragimbekov feel himself lonely in this situation?

"None. I have received congratulations on the occasion of the cinema holiday, signed by 200 of the most respected people in Azerbaijan, and it gives me the right to think that I'm not a decent people share my point of view,"- said Ibragimbekov.

On the occasion of the Day of Movie, the Union of Cinematographers of August 2 hosted a reception which was attended by prominent members of film-art of Azerbaijan, heads of other creative unions, and in particular the head of the Union of Writers, Anar, the head of the Union of Artists, Farhad Khalilov, cultural workers, representatives of diplomatic corps, including the Polish ambassador, Labenda.–06B-