Ex-member of Azerbaijani opposition party exposes those feeding from “emigrant business”

22 November 2019 16:28 (UTC+04:00)

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Even after all this scandal with smuggling of migrants, there are people who diligently defend Arif Hajili (leader of Azerbaijan’s Musavat opposition party) and his dirty deeds, former member of Musavat party, journalist Yafez Akramoglu, now living in Europe, told Trend Nov. 22.

“Most of these people are feeding off the 'emigrant business',” Akramoglu said. "An extremely small number of people, perhaps due to naivety, still protects him.”

Akramoglu also released a list of these people for “public criticism”:

1. Gulaga Aslanli - the right-hand man, ally of Arif Hajili in this matter.

2. Sahavat Soltanli - in general, Arif Hajili’s right-hand man.

3. Mustafa Hajibayli - brother of Arif Hajili. Potential “political emigrants” wishing to receive papers, appealed primarily to him. Used to run a website (Basta.info), where he published articles on his brother’s “political emigrants”.

4. Faraj Karimli - deputy. The Lachin regional organization of Musavat, in which he is represented, sent the biggest number of emigrants to Europe.

5. Ragif Karimli - the father of Faraj, for a long time he has been the chairman of the above-mentioned district organization.

6. Nemat Karimli - a lawyer.

7. Osman Kazimov - a lawyer.

8. Sevinj Huseynova - chairperson of the Central Control and Revision Commission (CCRC) in the party.

9. Nushaba Sadigli

10. Nazim Azadoglu - his son Nurlan, whose name is often mentioned in Europe in connection with the “emigrant business”, is the deputy chairman of the European Coordination Center of Musavat Party.

11. Azer Ismayil - advisor to Arif Hajili

“These people, just like other party functionaries, could at least keep silent about what had happened,” Akramoglu said. “But they chose the aggressive defense. In the above mentioned list there are people whose immense naivety is unacceptable. It is impossible that they don’t understand what is happening. For example, there are two lawyers. Why do you sacrifice your reputation to defend swindlers? What for?..”

In November of 2019 a scandal broke out, when German law enforcement authorities detained former members of one of Azerbaijani opposition parties. Local federal courts chose a preventive measure in the form of arrest for a period of six months in relation to the detained.

As a result of an investigation conducted by the German police, those arrested involved in “emigration business” in Germany, are suspected of smuggling of at least 20 people to Germany.

In accordance with the decision of the German judicial authorities, former head of correctional institution of Azerbaijan’s penitentiary system Elchin Akbarov, Chairman of the Musavat party’s European Coordinating Council, former head of the Kalbajar executive power Ilham Hasan, party member, Deputy Chairman of the Coordinating Council Mehdi Khalilbayli, Musavat party activist Abdin Javadov, former MP Sabir Rustamkhanli’s brother, Head of Leqat Integration Center, former police chief Alovsat Aliyev, have been arrested.

Among those arrested were also brother of one of opposition leaders, Mehdi Khalilbayli’s driver Rashad Mammadov, Musavat party member Elshan Abdullayev.