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AZERI PARTY OFFERS BOUNTY FOR EAR OF AUTHOR
Kyiv Post
Feb 13 2013
Ukraine
Feb. 13, 2013, 8:12 a.m. | Russia and former Soviet Union ~W by Reuters
BAKU - A pro-government party in Azerbaijan has offered a bounty to
anyone who slices off the ear of a celebrated writer it says insulted
the nation with his depiction of friendship and violence between
Azeris and Armenians.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since a war over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, as
the Soviet Union fell apart, killed 30,000 people.
Human Rights Watch condemned the threat against Akram Aylisli, who held
the title of "People's Author" in Azerbaijan before being stripped
the honour by the president last week after the story "Stone Dreams"
enraged Azeris.
The work, which was published in a Russian magazine, in part tells the
story of how some Azeris tried to protect their Armenian neighbours
when Armenians were being tortured and beaten in Baku in 1990.
With nearly 1 million displaced people from the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh living in Azerbaijan and both states suffering the
economic and social effects of the war, the topic of ethnic relations
is a hornet's nest.
The leader of Azeri pro-government party Muasir Musavat (Modern
Equality) told Reuters on Tuesday the party was offering 10,000 manats,
nearly $13,000, for anyone who cut off Aylisli's ear.
"(Aylisli) insulted the entire Azeri nation," party leader Hafiz
Haciyev said in his party office in Baku. "As he has insulted us we
wanted to respond, and that is why we have decided ... that his ear
must be chopped off."
Even before Haciyev's threat, officials from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan
Party called on Aylisli to withdraw the novel from sale and ask for
the nation's forgiveness. There have been protests outside his home
in Baku.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev last week signed a decree stripping
Aylisli of his title of "People's Writer", one of the country's
highest cultural honours, which he had held since 1998.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Azerbaijan on Tuesday to stop
the campaign of intimidation against him.
"The government of Azerbaijan has an obligation to protect safety
and security and investigate any threats against the writer, whose
only fault is that he expressed his mind," said Georgy Gogia, South
Caucasus researcher for the group.
"In fact, the government is often spearheading this smear campaign,"
he said.
A truce between Azerbaijan and Armenia was signed in 1994, but there
was no peace treaty. Violence still flares sporadically along the
ceasefire line and Azerbaijan's border with Armenia - underlining
the risk of a conflict in the South Caucasus, where Turkey, Russia
and Iran have interests.
The enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh has about 160,000 people and runs
its own affairs with heavy Armenian military and financial backing
since the war. Oil-producing Azerbaijan often threatens to take it
back by force, though it says it favours diplomacy.
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/russia-and-former-soviet-union/azeri-party-offers-bounty-for-ear-of-author-320337.html
Kyiv Post
Feb 13 2013
Ukraine
Feb. 13, 2013, 8:12 a.m. | Russia and former Soviet Union ~W by Reuters
BAKU - A pro-government party in Azerbaijan has offered a bounty to
anyone who slices off the ear of a celebrated writer it says insulted
the nation with his depiction of friendship and violence between
Azeris and Armenians.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since a war over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, as
the Soviet Union fell apart, killed 30,000 people.
Human Rights Watch condemned the threat against Akram Aylisli, who held
the title of "People's Author" in Azerbaijan before being stripped
the honour by the president last week after the story "Stone Dreams"
enraged Azeris.
The work, which was published in a Russian magazine, in part tells the
story of how some Azeris tried to protect their Armenian neighbours
when Armenians were being tortured and beaten in Baku in 1990.
With nearly 1 million displaced people from the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh living in Azerbaijan and both states suffering the
economic and social effects of the war, the topic of ethnic relations
is a hornet's nest.
The leader of Azeri pro-government party Muasir Musavat (Modern
Equality) told Reuters on Tuesday the party was offering 10,000 manats,
nearly $13,000, for anyone who cut off Aylisli's ear.
"(Aylisli) insulted the entire Azeri nation," party leader Hafiz
Haciyev said in his party office in Baku. "As he has insulted us we
wanted to respond, and that is why we have decided ... that his ear
must be chopped off."
Even before Haciyev's threat, officials from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan
Party called on Aylisli to withdraw the novel from sale and ask for
the nation's forgiveness. There have been protests outside his home
in Baku.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev last week signed a decree stripping
Aylisli of his title of "People's Writer", one of the country's
highest cultural honours, which he had held since 1998.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Azerbaijan on Tuesday to stop
the campaign of intimidation against him.
"The government of Azerbaijan has an obligation to protect safety
and security and investigate any threats against the writer, whose
only fault is that he expressed his mind," said Georgy Gogia, South
Caucasus researcher for the group.
"In fact, the government is often spearheading this smear campaign,"
he said.
A truce between Azerbaijan and Armenia was signed in 1994, but there
was no peace treaty. Violence still flares sporadically along the
ceasefire line and Azerbaijan's border with Armenia - underlining
the risk of a conflict in the South Caucasus, where Turkey, Russia
and Iran have interests.
The enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh has about 160,000 people and runs
its own affairs with heavy Armenian military and financial backing
since the war. Oil-producing Azerbaijan often threatens to take it
back by force, though it says it favours diplomacy.
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/russia-and-former-soviet-union/azeri-party-offers-bounty-for-ear-of-author-320337.html