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Turkey university professor demands from Azerbaijani students to give Armenia flag back

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A scandal in connection with Armenian and Azerbaijani national flags took place at Uludağ University in Bursa, Turkey.

The Azerbaijani students of this institution of higher education said they had noticed, on December 5, that the flag of their country was absent from in front of the university.

The university staff informed them that the flags were being renewed and the new Azerbaijani flag will be hung in one week.

One week later, however, the Azerbaijani students saw that there was no flag yet, and therefore they informed the university administration that they themselves want to hang the flag of Azerbaijan.

But Islamic history lecturer, Professor Salih Pay, who is in charge of flag affairs at Uludağ University, told these Azerbaijani students that the national flag of Armenia had disappeared several days ago, they were the suspects, and if they return the Armenian flag, he will hang the flag of Azerbaijan, too.

On the next day, however, these Azerbaijani students went to the university to hang the flag of their country on their own. But they were met by a large number of police cars at the yard of the university. So the Azerbaijani students held a protest outside the university grounds.

Report: Weapons destined for Azerbaijan were found in ISIS

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Azerbaijan got involved in supplying weapons to the Islamic State, says a report of the British organization Conflict Armament Research, which monitors the movement of conventional weapons globally.

According to the research, in May 2015, Syrian YPG forces recovered a PG7PM primary propelling charge from IS forces near Al Hasakah. A CAR field investigation team documented the item, with lot number 1-14-((11)), on 20 May 2015.

“Bulgaria confirmed that it had exported the item on 18 December 2014 to the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan. The application for the licence was accompanied by the original EUC. CAR has yet to receive a response to a trace request sent to Azerbaijan,” the report said.

According to the documents submitted by Bulgaria, the export was realized on 18 December 2014 from Bourgas Airport, Bulgaria, to Baku Airport, Azerbaijan.

As reported earlier, Azerbaijan has already been accused of having links to ISIS. Azerbaijan transported arms to Saudi Arabia which later was found in ISIS warehouse, Balgarian newspaper Trud reported.

ECHR launches new infringement procedure against Azerbaijan

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is to examine whether Azerbaijan has refused to abide by the ECHR’s judgment in the case of imprisoned opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov, the first use of a new infringement procedure, ECHR said in a statement.

The procedure was introduced into the European Convention on Human Rights in 2010 and allows the Committee of Ministers, which has the responsibility under the Convention for supervising the execution of the Court’s judgments, to refer a question to the ECHR about whether a country has refused to abide by a final judgment.

The Committee decided on 5 December 2017 to launch the proceedings against Azerbaijan owing to the authorities’ persistent refusal to ensure Mr Mammadov’s unconditional release following the ECHR’s 2014 finding of multiple violations of his rights. The ECHR received the formal request from the Committee on 11 December.

The Grand Chamber might also decide to hold a hearing. If the Grand Chamber finds a violation because Azerbaijan has failed to abide by the ECHR’s judgment of 2014 in the case, it will refer the case back to the Committee of Ministers for consideration of the measures to be taken. A finding of no violation also leads to the case being referred back to the Committee of Ministers, which then closes its examination.

ABC Media Watch criticises puff piece on Azerbaijan by The West Australian

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The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Media Watch program has shone necessary light on the Consulate of Azerbaijan in Western Australia paying for a reporter to write a glossy feature on their petro-dictatorship, in which Baku is lavished with unrecognisable praise for its apparent similarities to Perth, among other outlandish claims.

During its December 4 program, Media Watch host Paul Barry described the article published by The West Australian as “puff … about a trade mission to a celebrated Central Asian dictatorship”.

“Haven’t heard of the affair between WA and Azerbaijan? Nor had we, until the West devoted a three-page spread to the exciting news, telling us: ‘there are some striking similarities between Perth and Baku. Both are secular, well-educated societies with a love for good food and wine and a quirky appreciation of Eurovision.

And, of course, they’re both freedom-loving democracies. Although, bizarrely, in 2013 Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev was so popular that he was voted in for a third term before the polls even opened. And so popular that, two years later, the major opposition parties didn’t even bother showing up, with the BBC noting: ‘In the past two years the Azeri authorities have jailed almost all critical voices, among them journalists, civil society activists, and human rights lawyers,” Barry said.

The host also touched upon this year’s scandal about the Azerbaijani Laundromat.

“Now, we’re not suggesting that The West Australian has had millions of dollars pumped through its bank accounts, but accepting free flights and hotels from a corrupt country that locks up journalists, and then ignoring or downplaying the country’s problems, is not a good look,” he remarked.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) has written to The West Australian, strongly criticising their disregard for their role serving as Australia’s Fourth Estate.

“Azerbaijan not only breaks international norms of decency, it also disregards the OSCE Minsk Group’s negotiated ceasefire with the Armenians of the Armenian Republic of Artsakh, killing soldiers and civilians with condemnable regularity,” said ANC-AU Managing Director, Vache Kahramanian.

 

Source Panorama.am

Investors of Israeli company, selling drones to Azerbaijan, file lawsuit for $115 million

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Investors of the Israeli company Aeronautics filed a lawsuit against the company for $115 million. The suit was filed at the Tel Aviv District Court, CTech reported.

Tamar Zandberg, a member of the Israeli parliament, criticized Israel’s policies on the export of weapons and military technologies in a post to her Facebook page on Thursday.

In the post, Ms. Zandberg referred to a July incident in which Israel-based UAV manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. had allegedly carried out a live demonstration of one of its suicide drones on an Armenian army post, at the request of its client, the Azerbaijani army.

In August, the Israeli Defense Ministry began investigating the allegations, which Aeronautics denied. That same month, Aeronautics reported that the Israeli Defense Ministry halted its license to export its Orbiter 1K drone to an “unnamed but prominent customer,” blocking a deal valued by the company at $20 million.

Earlier this month, the Israeli police announced that Aeronautics is under criminal investigation, concerning a deal the drone maker signed with a “key customer.” An Israeli court has issued a sweeping gag order on all details about the investigation, which has been underway since September.

In her post, Ms. Zandberg wrote that she had appealed to the Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman, requesting that he cancels Aeronautics’ license to import drones to Azerbaijan, where, she said, they could be used to fuel the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and neighboring Armenia, violating the fragile ceasefire agreement between the two countries. Ms. Zandberg’s letter to Mr. Lieberman was included in a motion for a class action suit filed against Aeronautics by the company’s investors.

Merkel: Russia’s key role in relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan is apparent to EU

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It is apparent for the European Union (EU) that Russia plays a central part in relations with the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries with which we will sign an agreement today.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday stated about the aforementioned at the official opening of the EaP summit in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium.

“I’m very happy that we [already] have signed the [EU] Association Agreement with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine,” added Merkel. “Now, we [the EU] will sign a partnership agreement similarly with Armenia and Azerbaijan. It will not be as intensive as the Association Agreement, but we will cooperate with them.

“It’s clear to us that the relations with Russia play a central role in the case of these countries. For that reason, I hope that we will realize, at today’s discourse, what the domestic political situation is in those countries.”

Azerbaijani soldier’s body found near Armenian military post

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The body of an Azerbaijani soldier was found near one of Armenia‘s military posts on Thursday, November 23 morning.

According to the defense ministry press service, the serviceman is a Captain of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces who defected after a crime was committed in the military unit.

The Armenian defense ministry said it is ready to facilitate the transfer of the body to the Azerbaijani side through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

An investigation into the details of the incident is underway.

Mexican lawmakers’ visit to Armenia, Karabakh stirs crisis with Azerbaijan

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The visit of three Mexican deputies to Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia has stirred a diplomatic crisis between Azerbaijan and Mexico, local media reports suggest.

Blanca Margarita Cuata Domínguez, María Cristina Teresa García Bravo, Carlos Hernández Mirón, accompanied by deputy Armenian parliament speaker Eduard Sharmazanov arrived in Karabakh on October 24. The guests visited the Stepanakert Memorial Complex and laid flowers in memory of those who fell during the Artsakh Liberation War.

At the invitation of the member of the Parliament of Armenia, Karen Avagyan, the three Mexican deputies traveled from October 21 to 28 to Yerevan. The deputies took a day to visit Karabakh, where they even recorded a video to express their support for Armenia.

This act was not well-received by Azerbaijan, whose embassy in Mexico sent a note of protest to the president of the Chamber of Deputies to condemn the visit of the legislators.

Azerbaijan’s charge d’affaires Mammad Talibov asked Jorge Carlos Ramírez Marín to launch an investigation into this “illegal visit” and take appropriate measures so that “such incidents do not occur in the future.”

Related links:

Viaje diplomático de diputados mete en aprietos a México con Armenia y Azerbaiyán

Israeli journalist Yossi Melman: I would take Azerbaijani website to court unless they apologize

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YEREVAN. – Israeli-Azerbaijani relations will not be affected by the recent scandal over Israeli drone producer who was told to attack the Armenian military on behalf of Azerbaijan, Israeli journalist Yossi Melman told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Earlier this year journalist and writer Yossi Melman published an article in Maariv newspaper saying that  Israeli defense ministry was investigating the complaint saying Israel-based Aeronautics Defense Systems refused to demonstrate the capabilities of new drones on Armenian targets as requested by Azerbaijan.

“I do not think geopolitical situation in your area has changed. Israeli-Azeri relations are not affected by this particular case. This does not affect the overall relations and would not affect in the long run, it is an isolated case of a company. I would put it differently, Azerbaijan is very important for Israel, but this case is so outrageous, that even the defense ministry realized that they cannot turn a blind eye,” Mr. Melman said.

He mentioned that Azerbaijani side tried to say that the case “is poisoning the relations”, but Israeli side explained that “we are a democratic society and we cannot interfere with the investigation.”

On Monday it was revealed that Israeli police have opened a criminal investigation  against an Israeli drone manufacturer. News of the investigation came out as an Israeli court approved a gag order for the case, constraining the information that can be spread about it.

The journalist said that the probe started in late July when the defense ministry started to investigate the case. He believes the Israeli authorities realized that it is a complex investigation, and it is not only about breaching the terms of the license, but may be something bigger.

“As to the gag order by court, I think it is a theater of absurd. The gag order will operate until March and will forbid Israeli media to report about the case. I think the gag order would be challenged by Israeli media outlets,” he emphasized.

Mr. Melman said he had become a public enemy in Azerbaijan, and was even called “an agent of Armenia” on one of Azerbaijani websites.

“I am demanding an apology. They said I am corrupt journalist and received bribes from Armenian lobby. I would take them to court for defamation and I would demand compensation,” he said.

The journalist added that unless he receives an apology from Azerbaijani website, he would take the case to the British court.

Source: news.am

Council Of Europe Warns Azerbaijan To Free Opposition Leader Or Face Legal Action

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Ilqar Mammadov

Ilqar Mammadov

The Council of Europe has notified Azerbaijan that it will take unprecedented legal steps against Baku unless it releases imprisoned political leader Ilqar Mammadov by November 29.

Mammadov, an opposition politician and rights activist who heads Azerbaijan’s Republican movement, was arrested in February 2013 and charged with helping organize riots. Western governments and rights groups have decried the charges as politically motivated.

Mammadov was sentenced to seven years in prison in March 2014. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in May 2014 that his imprisonment was a violation of his rights and was intended to silence or punish him for criticizing the government.

The Council of Europe said Mammadov was the only such political prisoner who has not been released after winning such a ruling from the European rights court. Council of Europe members are obliged to implement the court’s judgments.

Azerbaijan’s noncompliance has prompted the council’s Committee of Ministers to launch what it said was the first-ever process for referring the case back to the court to decide whether the continued detention of Mammadov represents a further rights violation.

The committee on October 25 gave Baku until November 29 to either release Mammadov or it will discuss sending the case back to the rights court for a second ruling.