Speech of Intigam Aliyev

Dear Foreign Minister and representatives of the Government of the Czech Republic, 

Dear members of the Award Committee, 

 

I thank cordially those dear people, who decided to honor me with this influential award. I feel proud to be among the world famous persons who have received this award.

 

For me, this prize is the important recognition of the efforts of Azerbaijan’s civil society activists, who strive to ensure human rights and build fair society in the country.  

 

Azerbaijan was one of the countries of the former Soviet Union. It is rich in natural resources. The country has a very beautiful nature. It has a very friendly population. However, most of those people are unhappy, because, to feel themselves happy, they need to enjoy the civil liberties and freedoms in their own country.

 

To my deep regret, the people of my country are deprived of many of these fundamental freedoms already for many years. 

 

They are deprived of the right to free and fair elections, which is the only legitimate way of establishing the government. All of Azerbaijan's elections since the twenty years of independence from the Soviet Union were rigged and have always failed to meet international standards. 

 

Under the years of systematic and continuous repressive policies of the government to destroy and undermine the political opposition, a one-party political system has eventually been formed in the country. The parliament, the media and the courts are under the effective control of the government.

 

Being a human rights defender in Azerbaijan continues to be a risky and life-threatening activity. It might cost your life, if you deal with the protection of human rights: as in the cases of the slain journalist Elmar Huseynov and writer Rafiq Tagi. 

 

Or, drugs might be planted to your pocket and you might be arrested: as in the cases of satirist Mirza Sakit and young opposition activist Cabbar Savalanlı. 

 

Or, you might be assaulted during a peaceful pastime in a restaurant with friends, and then arrested on charges of hooliganism: as in the case of bloggers Adnan Hajizade and a Grand Jury member of this Festival Emin Milli.

 

Or, with the help of a hidden camera, your private life might be recorded and televised: as in the case of Khadija Ismail, who is the journalist of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and author of a series of investigative articles exposing the corruption cases in high echelons of the government.

 

Or, you might be imprisoned on false charges because of the sharp criticism of the government, as editors Avaz Zeynallı and Hilal Mammadov; a candidate at the presidential elections of 2013, the leader of Movement REAL Ilgar Mamedov; one of the leaders of opposition party “Musavat” Tofiq Yagublu and dozens and dozens more representatives of civil society. 

 

Over the last 20 years, hundreds of people have been arrested on politically motivated charges and recognized as political prisoners. Every year, with the fake charges, the authorities arrest dozens of persons – ranging from politicians, journalists, youth activists to human rights defenders. And after keeping them a few years in prison, they are released under the international pressure, but new persons get arrested and then released and this “revolving door” policy continues again and again.

 

It is over twenty years that the country’s civil society activists jointly with the Council of Europe and other international organizations ardently strive for the solution of the problem with political prisoners and putting an end on further arrests on politically motivated charges. These protracted problems effectively intrude into our time, energy and nerves. Yet, the problem still remains unsolved today and occupies the priority position in the agenda. Many people in my country start to understand that the issue of political prisoners will remain unsettled, as long as there are no political liberties ensured, independent courts formed and parliament established with the conduct of free and fair elections. Unless the political parties, NGOs and media keep public control on those institutions, the problem will remain open, and the government will try to trade on this pressing problem in its discourse with the civil society and international organizations.      

 

By the way, the civil society of our country apprehended with deep disappointment the news about that in the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe among the parliamentarians who voted against a list of Strasser on political prisoners in Azerbaijan were the representatives from the Czech Republic. People wonder: How did this happen that the parliamentarians of democratic countries voted in support of corrupt and authoritarian regime, support the prosecution of people for political reasons, voted for the existence of such a shameful phenomenon in Europe - as political prisoners? Encouraged by this success and support, the Azerbaijani authorities responded by new arrests and criminal cases against civil activists and the lists of political prisoners were supplemented with new people. It is very sad.

 

It has never been an easy to stay in opposition and be critical of the government policies. It has lately become harder. Because the government has not only satisfied with beating, humiliating and arresting its opponents. It buys the opposition, journalists, and human rights lawyers with the help of billions stolen from the Azerbaijani people. People who are not backtracking under beatings, arrests, fear of death, fail to cope with this temptation. The government does not restrict itself bribing and buying only its people, but also international organizations, foreign diplomats, parliamentarians and foreign governments. The report, entitled "Caviar Diplomacy" illustrates well such activities of the Azerbaijani government in the Council of Europe. The government, which pays meager monthly salaries of 150-200 Euros to teachers and doctors and which fails to provide the country’s villages with gas, electricity and water, has spent massive amount of money than Germany, Sweden and Norway for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest. It spends millions to repair the Louver museum, to open a park named after Heydar Aliyev in Mexico and many other similar projects. Such a disgusting situation has a detrimental effect on education, science, literature, morale and other values in the country. These facts confirm how dangerous this government is.

 

Azerbaijan will hold presidential elections in less than a year. The government tries to further close the already narrowed political space and it imposes more pressures on the civil society. The authorities attempt to control the financial sources of NGOs, to restrict the activities of international organizations in the country, to further harden the sanctions for attending peaceful demonstrations and to set hurdles to entrance visa rules into Azerbaijan. With these repressive policies, the government intends to protect itself from wider popular unrests and unexpected developments.

 

In spite of the ongoing clamp down and repressions, there is an apparent signs of revival in Azerbaijan. People no longer want to live under the feudal laws of the 21st century. Governments of Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, and other such typical regimes should make it clear for themselves that the people’s desire to be free is such a powerful force that the repressions, imprisonments and killings cannot stop it. 

 

The support from the international community has an important role to play for us. Writing articles and shooting films to expose the situation in the country and signing petitions and campaigning to free political prisoners and raising the problems in your discussions in Council of Europe (CE), EU, UN and other influential institutions have an outstanding contribution to our efforts. 

 

There are lots of valuable people in my country, who, in spite of the repression and many restrictions, continue to fight for change and against authoritarianism. Among my clients, there are dozens of such brave people. Some of them, including journalists, politicians, and civil society activists are still behind the bars. This award is assessed as a support for the efforts of such people and groups, who ardently struggle for ensuring freedoms in the country. 

 

Last but not least, I express my deep gratitude to everyone who supports our civil society and democratic forces in the face of such hard times.

 

To live in a fair society should be the highest honor for a human being. I wish everyone to be honored by this award.