Protest action of war participants

Baku/20.07.23/Turan: A group of participants of the second Karabakh war held a protest rally in front of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan on July 20. They demand that they be granted veteran status and awarded medals.

One of the protesters said that they had repeatedly appealed to the Ministry of Defense, but they were told that they had not participated in combat operations. "We have received documents from the military unit on the execution of orders on combat missions. But we are told that "you did not participate in the battles, you were in the rear." Earlier, my name was on the lists, but then I was expelled, saying that a refusal came from the corps regarding me," Mahir Abbasov said.

Reserve officer Jahangir Kerimov said that in connection with the issue of granting veteran status, the protesters were at a reception at the Ministry of Defense and there they were told that the issue was within the competence of the Cabinet of Ministers.

"We were told that additions to the resolution on the 44-day war are being prepared in the Cabinet of Ministers and after that we will be able to get the status of a veteran," Kerimov said.

The participants of the action also reported on persons who were awarded medals and honorary titles, but did not receive the status of a veteran.

They also noted that participants of the war from the regions of the country also came to the previous actions.

"But after returning to the districts, they are under pressure from the police, they are subjected to administrative arrests," said one of the protesters.

However, Anar Gafarov, an employee of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in an interview with a Turan correspondent, noted that the allegations of pressure on the participants of the war and especially their arrests are not true.

"The participants of the war are surrounded by care, if there are any issues that cause them concern, they are invited to the police. The participants of the war are listened to there and their complaints are sent to the relevant authorities," Gafarov said.

The attempts to get comments from the Ministry of Defense and the Cabinet of Ministers were futile. ---06D---