ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Jan 31 2013
Protests against "pro-Armenian" novel staged in Azeri capital
[Presenter] A group of young people have staged a protest outside the
block of flats where writer Akram Aylisli lives. They protest against
the writer's novel titled "Stone dreams".
[Correspondent over video of the protest] A group of young men staged
a protest against the opinions [expressed in] the novel "Stone dreams"
by writer Akram Aylisli. The protesters gathered outside the block of
flats where Aylisli lives. During the protest, which was organized by
the public union of refugees and displaced youth, the protesters
accused Akram Aylisli of being pro-Armenian. The protesters burnt a
photo of Aylisli. After police intervened in the protest, the
protesters dispersed. To recap, some opinions in Aylisli's novel
"Stone dreams" caused this strong reaction.
[Correspondent reads out quotes from the novel which are shown on the
screen] After people gathered in the venue defined, Turkish soldiers
separated the Armenians from the Muslims and lined them up in
different parts of the yard. Suddenly, a loud order to shoot came from
somewhere. The Turkish soldiers, who surrounded the yard, showered
Armenians with bullets. Some of them died immediately. Those, who
survived, had all their throats slit with a dagger or bayoneted.
[Passage omitted: quotes from the novel]
However, Akram Aylisli considers himself to be right about the novel.
[Aylisli speaking to microphone] I would sign up 10 times to every
word I wrote there. I cannot invent a lie against my people.
[Correspondent] To recap, the novel "Stone dreams" has been published
in Russian in Druzhba Narodov magazine, which comes out in Moscow.
[Video showed a group of protesters, holding posters saying "Evil
'Stone reams'" and posters with photos of Aylisili with "Armenian"
written on them, and chanting slogans against the writer]
Note: BAPA news agency, Baku, in English 1143 gmt 1 Feb 13 reported
that another protest had been held in Baku on this occasion. A group
of young people gathered near the Xatai metro station and the
protesters held a symbolic funeral putting a symbolic book into a
coffin with a cross on it.
Aylisli is a member of the Forum of Azerbaijani Intellectuals. One of
the founders of this group is writer, producer and opposition activist
Rustam Ibrahimbayov who also heads the Azerbaijani Union of
Cinematography. The union has been charged with tax evasion and
embezzlement. Ibrahimbayov is critical of the policies of the
Azerbaijani authorities and is also one of the founders of the
newly-established controversial Union of Azerbaijani Organizations of
Russia, which is believed to oppose the Azerbaijani authorities and is
believed to be supported by the Kremlin.]
[Translated from Azeri]
Jan 31 2013
Protests against "pro-Armenian" novel staged in Azeri capital
[Presenter] A group of young people have staged a protest outside the
block of flats where writer Akram Aylisli lives. They protest against
the writer's novel titled "Stone dreams".
[Correspondent over video of the protest] A group of young men staged
a protest against the opinions [expressed in] the novel "Stone dreams"
by writer Akram Aylisli. The protesters gathered outside the block of
flats where Aylisli lives. During the protest, which was organized by
the public union of refugees and displaced youth, the protesters
accused Akram Aylisli of being pro-Armenian. The protesters burnt a
photo of Aylisli. After police intervened in the protest, the
protesters dispersed. To recap, some opinions in Aylisli's novel
"Stone dreams" caused this strong reaction.
[Correspondent reads out quotes from the novel which are shown on the
screen] After people gathered in the venue defined, Turkish soldiers
separated the Armenians from the Muslims and lined them up in
different parts of the yard. Suddenly, a loud order to shoot came from
somewhere. The Turkish soldiers, who surrounded the yard, showered
Armenians with bullets. Some of them died immediately. Those, who
survived, had all their throats slit with a dagger or bayoneted.
[Passage omitted: quotes from the novel]
However, Akram Aylisli considers himself to be right about the novel.
[Aylisli speaking to microphone] I would sign up 10 times to every
word I wrote there. I cannot invent a lie against my people.
[Correspondent] To recap, the novel "Stone dreams" has been published
in Russian in Druzhba Narodov magazine, which comes out in Moscow.
[Video showed a group of protesters, holding posters saying "Evil
'Stone reams'" and posters with photos of Aylisili with "Armenian"
written on them, and chanting slogans against the writer]
Note: BAPA news agency, Baku, in English 1143 gmt 1 Feb 13 reported
that another protest had been held in Baku on this occasion. A group
of young people gathered near the Xatai metro station and the
protesters held a symbolic funeral putting a symbolic book into a
coffin with a cross on it.
Aylisli is a member of the Forum of Azerbaijani Intellectuals. One of
the founders of this group is writer, producer and opposition activist
Rustam Ibrahimbayov who also heads the Azerbaijani Union of
Cinematography. The union has been charged with tax evasion and
embezzlement. Ibrahimbayov is critical of the policies of the
Azerbaijani authorities and is also one of the founders of the
newly-established controversial Union of Azerbaijani Organizations of
Russia, which is believed to oppose the Azerbaijani authorities and is
believed to be supported by the Kremlin.]
[Translated from Azeri]