Shrinking space for Azerbaijan’s last independent voices

On 8 August, Azerbaijani tax authorities launched an investigation of Turan News Agency. Local civil society activists and international human rights organizations believe this investigation is aimed at the termination of the activities of the last independent media outlet in the country. On 24 August Mehman Aliyev, the director of the news agency and a well-known journalist was sentenced to three months pretrial detention on charges of tax evasion, illegal entrepreneurship and abuse of power. As a result, Turan announced that it planned to suspend its operations as of September.

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Turan accuses Ministry of Taxes of violating tax code

Last week the Ministry of Taxes opened a criminal case against Turan Information Agency, an independent media outlet in Baku, alleging large-scale tax evasion. Turan’s director, Mehman Aliyev, categorically rejects the allegations and claims that the Ministry’s handling of the case violates Azerbaijan’s tax code regulations. Reporters Without Borders has condemned the Ministry’s actions as ‘persecution.’

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Step by step …

No one can deny the progressive development of history. The historical process changes people, society, morals and laws. What was forbidden becomes allowed. Even honorable. I will not remind you of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now even little children laugh at the sacred books of curses against you know who.

Gay and lesbian people, as well as transgender people, go through government and parliamentary corridors with herds.

People with a traditional orientation begin to feel flawed in the society of civilized people.

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Azerbaijan media have begun publicizing obvious falsifications

STEPANAKERT. – Azerbaijani media have begun disseminating apparent falsifications, said Davit Babayan, Head of the Central Information Department of the Office of the President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) and Deputy Head of the President’s Office.

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Azerbaijan told how the 13-year-old boy was “wounded”

August 7, according to the Azerbaijani mass media, 13-year-old villager Garalar Tovuz region of Azerbaijan Ramil Sabir oglu Yusifov (2004 DOB) received severe shrapnel wounds to both legs. Further, the local media have added colors and leg wounds were added to the wounds “on the body”:

“Yusifov was urgently hospitalized with multiple shrapnel wounds on his body.” The teenager was operated on, his condition is assessed as normal. ”

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Azerbaijan’s American Media Manipulation by Casey Michel

The past two years have seen a flurry of analyses on Azerbaijan’s moves to whitewash its dictatorial image for American audiences. Slathered in hydrocarbon profits, the autocratic government of Ilham Aliyev has unleashed spin-doctorsduped reporters, and led one of the most brazen pushes to abuse American lobbying loopholes of any foreign government. All of this, while Azerbaijan’s First Family has taken rank advantage of offshore avenues and shell corporations to bilk unknowing taxpayers.

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How Azerbaijan’s Paid Agents Manipulate the American Media

For several years, dozens of articles have appeared in U.S., Israeli, and European newspapers lavishly praising Azerbaijan and severely criticizing Armenia. Most of these articles are written by non-Azerbaijanis who are handsomely compensated by the Azerbaijani government.

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Aliyevs Profit While Other Banks Suffer

2016 was a very bad year for Azerbaijan banks, but it was another good year to be an Aliyev child.

Analysis of banks tied to the three children of President Ilham Aliyev shows that the trio still hold controlling shares in four banks from which they collected $82 million in profits in 2016. Overall, the Azerbaijan banking sector lost $960 million in 2016.

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