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THE INDEPENDENT: CAMPAIGN AGAINST EKREM EYLISLI IS AIMED AT DIVERTING ATTENTION FROM DOMESTIC PROBLEMS IN AZERBAIJAN
http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2013/02/13/independent/
19:26 13/02/2013 " SOCIETY
A politician in Azerbaijan has offered a cash reward for anyone who
slices off the ear of a controversial writer - the latest twist in an
alleged hate campaign waged by the country's authoritarian government
in an apparent attempt to distract attention from internal issues,
the British newspaper The Independent writes.
"The author, Akram Aylisli, is in trouble for his novel Stone Dreams,
in which he portrayed scenes of violence carried out by Azerbaijanis
against their Armenian foes during the riots that accompanied the
break-up of the Soviet Union. What appears to be a coordinated campaign
has been unleashed against him, with television programmes and official
pronouncements railing against the writer," the article says.
The article also says that He was expelled from the Union of Writers
and had his presidential pension rescinded. His wife and son have
also lost their jobs, while protesters have organized book-burnings of
his works, held pickets outside his house, and burned effigies of him.
Events took an even more alarming turn when Hafiz Haciyev, the head
of a pro-government political party, said his party would pay 10,000
manat (£8,000) for the ear of the author.
"The book was meant to be about conciliation between Azeris and
Armenians," Mr. Eylisli told The Independent from Baku. "I realized
when I wrote it that it could be controversial, but I didn't for
a minute think that there would be this giant campaign, on a state
level."
"If a person has no national spirit, he cannot have a sense of
humanity," said Ali Hasanov, an aide to Azerbaijan's President,
Ilham Aliyev, commenting on Mr Aylisli's novel. "The Azerbaijani
people must express public hatred towards these people."
"The Azerbaijani authorities have an obligation to protect Akram
Aylisli," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at
Human Rights Watch. "Instead, they have led the effort to intimidate
him, putting him at risk with a campaign of vicious smears and
hostile rhetoric."
According to the article, the campaign comes after a period of
unusual civil unrest in the country, as Mr Aliyev prepares to
stand for re-election later in the year. Last month, thousands of
people attended an unsanctioned rally in Baku over conditions in the
military, and later there were violent protests in a provincial town
after a minister's son crashed his luxury car into a local's more
modest vehicle. Although the President still retains the support
of the majority of Azeris, analysts say discontent over Mr Aliyev's
authoritarian methods and the rampant corruption of the ruling elite
is eroding the regime's popularity.
"Something is definitely changing in Azerbaijan," said Emin Milli,
a blogger and activist who was released from a 15-day jail sentence
for organising unsanctioned rallies last month. "For the first time,
thousands of people are coming out to protest. This is the government's
old game to rally support - play the nationalist card."
Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist
of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan "Istiglal"
(2002) and the order of "Shokhrat" for his outstanding merits in the
literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine
"Friendship of Nations" was published his novel titled "Stone Dreams"
in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku
in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks
positively about the Armenian people and their culture.
After the publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe
pressures in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally next
his home, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan,
MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and
deport from Azerbaijan. Many people "blamed" Eylisli in his Armenian
origin, etc.
http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2013/02/13/independent/
19:26 13/02/2013 " SOCIETY
A politician in Azerbaijan has offered a cash reward for anyone who
slices off the ear of a controversial writer - the latest twist in an
alleged hate campaign waged by the country's authoritarian government
in an apparent attempt to distract attention from internal issues,
the British newspaper The Independent writes.
"The author, Akram Aylisli, is in trouble for his novel Stone Dreams,
in which he portrayed scenes of violence carried out by Azerbaijanis
against their Armenian foes during the riots that accompanied the
break-up of the Soviet Union. What appears to be a coordinated campaign
has been unleashed against him, with television programmes and official
pronouncements railing against the writer," the article says.
The article also says that He was expelled from the Union of Writers
and had his presidential pension rescinded. His wife and son have
also lost their jobs, while protesters have organized book-burnings of
his works, held pickets outside his house, and burned effigies of him.
Events took an even more alarming turn when Hafiz Haciyev, the head
of a pro-government political party, said his party would pay 10,000
manat (£8,000) for the ear of the author.
"The book was meant to be about conciliation between Azeris and
Armenians," Mr. Eylisli told The Independent from Baku. "I realized
when I wrote it that it could be controversial, but I didn't for
a minute think that there would be this giant campaign, on a state
level."
"If a person has no national spirit, he cannot have a sense of
humanity," said Ali Hasanov, an aide to Azerbaijan's President,
Ilham Aliyev, commenting on Mr Aylisli's novel. "The Azerbaijani
people must express public hatred towards these people."
"The Azerbaijani authorities have an obligation to protect Akram
Aylisli," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at
Human Rights Watch. "Instead, they have led the effort to intimidate
him, putting him at risk with a campaign of vicious smears and
hostile rhetoric."
According to the article, the campaign comes after a period of
unusual civil unrest in the country, as Mr Aliyev prepares to
stand for re-election later in the year. Last month, thousands of
people attended an unsanctioned rally in Baku over conditions in the
military, and later there were violent protests in a provincial town
after a minister's son crashed his luxury car into a local's more
modest vehicle. Although the President still retains the support
of the majority of Azeris, analysts say discontent over Mr Aliyev's
authoritarian methods and the rampant corruption of the ruling elite
is eroding the regime's popularity.
"Something is definitely changing in Azerbaijan," said Emin Milli,
a blogger and activist who was released from a 15-day jail sentence
for organising unsanctioned rallies last month. "For the first time,
thousands of people are coming out to protest. This is the government's
old game to rally support - play the nationalist card."
Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist
of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan "Istiglal"
(2002) and the order of "Shokhrat" for his outstanding merits in the
literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine
"Friendship of Nations" was published his novel titled "Stone Dreams"
in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku
in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks
positively about the Armenian people and their culture.
After the publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe
pressures in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally next
his home, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan,
MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and
deport from Azerbaijan. Many people "blamed" Eylisli in his Armenian
origin, etc.