Ali Aliyev: My arrest has been sanctioned locally and internationally

Baku/14.06.22/Turan: The arrested chairman of the Citizen and Development Party (CDP), Ali Aliyev, addressed the public.

According to Turan, in his letter, Aliyev touched upon the reasons for his arrest. “The fact that our ability to influence public opinion in the country has become "unbearable", just as I was told, the factor that "I don't have the ability to influence", my principled position against Russia's new imperial policy, the factual and argumentative position we took against the ruling team, the inability of those responsible for political institutions to put us on the "bus" were the reasons for this.

I am the only party chairman arrested during Ilham Aliyev's 19-year rule since his inauguration in 2003 and a presidential candidate who has twice opposed him. The president's "respect and attention" to me personally could not but be based on serious arguments.”

Furthermore, A. Aliyev noted that against the background of the Ukraine-Russia war and the World-Russia confrontation, the political value of this arrest must not be left out of the international aspect and attention. “Navalny is in prison in Russia and Saakashvili is in prison in Georgia. Although Tsikhanouskaya, the president-elect of Belarus in 2020, fled the country, her husband and hundreds of other activists are still in prison. Russia's crackdown on the opposition during the events in Kazakhstan indicates the heat of events in the former Soviet Union. By the way, the constant aggression of the "opposition" against Pashinyan in Armenia is also inspired by the Kremlin. The events in Ukraine are special proof of the Russian leader's desire to restore the empire. Both the first arrest in the country in 19 years and the arrests of the political opposition in the region determine the weight of my politically motivated prison life and the political reasons. So, my arrest is motivated both domestically and internationally. The government itself unknowingly shows who its opponent is, who it is afraid of, and the address of the real opposition.”

In his letter, the CDP chairman said that the recent projects implemented by the party and personally by him as a party representative in Osmangizi TV and Boomerang Media with Elchin Rahimzade, could not but worry the authorities that they would be welcomed in society and that their public image would rise to a level "dangerous" for them. “A few days before my arrest, the fact that an employee of the Administration said, "We have no means of influencing you," tells a lot. It turns out that a means is being sought to exercise influence. The means of influence could be my "humiliation". They tried to "humiliate" me. Within 5 months (approximately the first 50 days), the means of influence did not work. My deprivation of hygiene items, restrictions on communication, being placed in a cell with a drug addict, a robber, a murderer, being threatened with death and intimidation, and imprisonment, in general, did not yield the results they expected. That is, they could not humiliate me.”

According to the party chairman, from the first days of isolation in February, serious plans were launched against his family. “An attempt was made to "touch" my family's honor. This person is a well-known public figure, After being released, I will make some clarifications and expose him. He is in contact with the government. I prevented the attempt from the prison, everything has its time. This style of government is familiar to the public. That time they returned empty-handed. It is true that I do not claim whether this ingloriousness is individual or ordered, but the style is evident. If the style was different, they should have noticed that the "material" was different. I did not want the public to know this; however, the fact that I am artificially detained in prison shows that the plan is valid. The operation to seize the property inherited from my wife’s father has also begun 20 days ago. The Administration knew that there was a dispute between the relatives over the shared property. In this way, the goal is to deprive us of the property as a family.”

According to him, this intention is also one of the reasons for filing a new criminal case. “The government wants to see the opposition as even needy to 3-5 manats. Therefore, there is a plan to seize our property. Actually, I have nothing to do with that property. The property is the property of my wife and children.”

According to A. Aliyev, in fact, the government wants to expand the scale of the natural stress experienced since the arrest. “Before that, my family was offered to appeal to the President through a government-sponsored journalist for humiliating me. It is clear that the Azerbaijani government does not shy away from methods that do not comply with the moral code. During this time, the party leadership and their families were pressured in various ways. The attack on our headquarters, the breaking of the stairs and the barrier are also a manifestation of the attitude towards our political position.”

He noted that against the background of all this, although the fact that some politicians and members of the media talk nonsense about him affects him, he is not discouraged. “I was illegally taken hostage by the authorities. There is no moral framework for trying to abuse this situation. It is alleged that the government plans to detain me and increase my prestige. Or the misunderstanding and slander that took place in the past have become the thesis of those who consider themselves principled. It is as if the government is talking about me. The government does not speak because it has spent its prestige in society. They use them to discredit me. I have no words. In short, may God punish those who deceive the people, God willing. And let those who talk about me answer a simple question. How is it that the government targets me as a party chairman but does not harm or arrest others? What is the reason?”

According to the party chairman, he is the first person in Azerbaijan to be convicted twice for the same act. “Article 132 of the Constitution, Article 8.2 of the Criminal Code, and the requirements of the European Convention signed by the Government of Azerbaijan prohibit two trials and two decisions for the same act. Nevertheless, I was twice convicted of the same act in the Yasamal District Court. Apart from the fact that the case was fabricated and ridiculous, and my arrest was based on suspicion and discretion, this also happened for the second time. By this logic, any employee of the SBS can complain, and I can be imprisoned forever.”

According to him, the second case arouses nothing but laughter and disgust. “The government with so many resources is hiding behind a 68-year-old masturbation lover who was expelled from the party by calling him "immoral". Shame! They make everything go with them. The intention is clear. To keep me in custody until no means are found against me.”

A. Aliyev noted that he did not intend to give them that chance. “I am seriously worried about the psychological condition of my family. They live in fear. 3 out of 4 women valuable to me are seriously ill, and the other is constantly crying. I cannot stand this situation. I will not stop fighting until this arbitrariness and pharaohism are stopped and my rights and freedoms are guaranteed. I state this consciously. President Aliyev is responsible for any complications that may occur during the process or as a result of this process. I am his prisoner.”