Elmar Huseynov"s death gave the opposite effect

The supporters of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan today gave tribute to the editor of the magazine Monitor Elmar Huseynov treacherously murdered eight years ago. This traditional event gathered struggling people at the grave of Elmar, as once he, for the ideals of freedom and democracy.

Authorities on the eve of the anniversary of the death of the editor made a traditional and futile statement that they would expose the criminals, but such statements no longer cause public trust.

"The Ministry of National Security spokesman said that the search for the criminals announced almost 8 years ago has not given any results. However, it is known that the then Turkish investigative team handed the Azerbaijani side the names of organizers and executors of the crime," said a friend of Elmar, Director of the publishing house Ganun, Shahbaz Khuduoglu.

The Chairman of the opposition party Musavat Isa Gambar directly accused President Ilham Aliyev and his entourage of the death of Huseynov. "They committed the crime to stifle freedom of speech and they will answer for it," he said.

The murder of Elmar Huseynov on March 2, 2005 added additional elements of fear and self-censorship to the media community. This facilitated the establishment of total control of the media by the authorities. But, as the speakers said, this tactic has given a temporary effect. Development of the Internet and access to the forefront of a new generation of young people has negated the efforts of the authorities.

"The death of Elmar Huseynov gave the opposite effect. He became a symbol of a burning torch, the path to a free society in Azerbaijan," said the Director of Turan Agency, Mehman Aliyev.

It is noteworthy that among those present at the grave of Elmar were many young people, who discovered the creativity and citizenship of Elmar for themselves. "His pamphlet article The Naked King led me to come to journalism," said the young reporter Parviz Azimov.

As in the past years at the headstone of Elmar stood his father, Sabir Huseynov, who was grated by the people for the fortitude and for raising such a son.

On Saturday evening at 20.00 the house, where Elmar lived and was killed, will host the Remembrance ceremony - the lighting of candles.

The editor of the magazine Monitor, Elmar Huseynov was shot dead by unknown people on the doorstep of his apartment. The offenders released seven bullets from a gun. A short time later, authorities said that the murder was committed by Georgian citizens of Azerbaijani origin - Teymuraz Aliyev and Tahir Khubanov. However, the Georgian authorities refused to extradite them, stating that there was no evidence of their involvement in the murder.

Later, the famous gang leader from the MIA Criminal Investigation Department Colonel Haji Mammadov said that he had arranged the assassination of Huseynov. However, the authorities failed to investigate his claim.

Another version of the journalist’s murder was reported by the journalist Eynullah Fatullayev, who claimed that the killing was organized by the Ministry of National Security Colonel Akif Chovdarov, who personally admitted to him in prison in the National Security Ministry, where Fatullayev was kept after his arrest in 2007. - 0 –