Persecution of oppositionist Aliev highlights intolerance of Azerbaijan’s authorities towards critics

Ali Aliev, the chair of the “Citizens and Development Party”, who went on a hunger strike in protest against the third charge, has recently intensified criticism of the authorities, and that fact has become the reason for his persecution, analysts interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot” point out.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on January 13, a court sentenced Ali Aliev to five months of imprisonment, finding him guilty of defaming border guard Emil Djafarov. On April 15, a court pronounced a similar decision on the complaint of Ramin Adilov, another border guard, who also accused the oppositionist of defamation. On May 27, it was reported that Ramiz Geyushev, a former functionary of the ruling “Yeni Azerbaijan” Party, filed a private lawsuit against Ali Aliev, accusing him of an insult. On June 7, Ali Aliev went on a hunger strike to protest against the third charge.

Tofig Tyurkel, a political observer of the “Turan” agency, told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent, that in recent years Ali Aliev has intensified his criticism of the country’s authorities. “In general, he has always been a critic of the authorities. But in recent years, Ali Aliev has become more active in the media and even sharper in criticizing the country’s authorities. The authorities are not interested in any new opposition forces appearing on the cleared political field,” Tofig Tyurkel suggests.

Togrul Djuvarly, a member of the Azerbaijan National Public Committee for European Integration, expresses a similar opinion. “In recent years, Ali Aliev has become more active in criticizing the authorities. He was a frequent guest on various YouTube channels and, above all, on the popular channel ‘Osmangyzy TV’ by journalist Sevindj Osmangyzy, broadcasting from the United States and unloved by the authorities. Of course, it is not in the interests of the authorities that some new political centre of attraction for the protest part of society has appeared,” Togrul Djuvarly told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 10, 2022 at 03:56 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.