Ilham Aliyev and his Regime Committed True Crime against Azerbaijani People: Azerbaijani Expert Ramis Yunus

Ilham Aliyev and his regime have committed the true crime against the Azerbaijani people. Ramis Yunus, US based Azerbaijani expert, stated in an interview with Azerbaycan Saati (“Azerbaijani hour”) broadcast from abroad, touching upon the 4-day war unleashed in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The day before the war, secret information on Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and his family members—wife’s, daughters’ and sister’s offshore bank accounts—was published in The Panama Papers. According to the Azerbaijani expert, since Ilham Aliyev has come to power, nothing has changed to the better side, just the contrary—situation has worsened, regarding issues like human rights, protection of fundamental freedoms, guaranteed by Azerbaijani Constitution.

“Azerbaijani prisons are full of political prisoners. Dissent which is yet in the phase of developing, is being oppressed, civil society is almost destroyed. Corruption has engaged all power structures—from top to bottom. The budget is being stolen. Incomes from petrodollars are transferred to accounts of Aliyev’s family members and his surrounding people.

They comprise billions of dollars and these very stolen means are invested in offshore companies. And under that situation, rather strangely, military escalation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been recorded. A question arises here: who benefitted from the 4-day “hurrah patriotism”? It didn’t bring victory to none of the sides, however, it led to human losses for Azerbaijan. Who did obstacle Zakir Hasanov, newly appointed Minister of Defense, for instance, to take Khankendi (Stepanakert), as he used to declare?”

If anyone forgot about it, let me say, that person, former commander of main troops, was remembered for making use of some part to exert pressure over post-election mass discontents of the country’s population in 2003 and 2005, by mercilessly assaulting the demonstrators.

In his words, when young men fall for Azerbaijan, world press publishes photos of Ilham Aliyev and his family, which loots their country and hides money abroad.

“And he is the supreme commander of the country. It’s a shame and ignominy. And even after that he cynically continues making hurrah-patriotism statements to return Karabakh. What else might have occured that they finally realized in Azerbaijan, that family makes use of Karabakh topic solely to maintain power,” Azerbaijani expert says.

To the question who is responsible for more than 100 killed and 500 injured Azerbaijanis, Yunus replied, “Let’s call things by their proper names. Ilham Aliyev and his regime have committed true crime against our people. I’m not afraid to state this. Maybe such human losses would be justified, if our flag today wove in Khankendi (Stepanakert), Shushi, or at least Azerbaijani territories near Karabakh were liberated, which is called a security zone. This isn’t available, isn’t it?

That 4-day war didn’t bring any dividend in military plan, just the contrary, these days lost of our servicemen have been killed, among which lots of 18 year-olds may be found. And how do they send these young men to the frontline? Who will bear responsibility for that? It’s crime. And how much cynicism has obsessed pro-governmental press. It’s horrible…so many people were killed, and so much triumphant pathos is observed in those media outlets, seems like we returned Karabakh…

What Ilham Aliyev and his associates have done, is called crime. At the same time, the regime intends to divert attention of the society from Karabakh tragedy and widely discussed topic of money laundering of offshore by the Aliyev family, and direct arrows to the poor opposition,” Yunus concluded.