In memoriam Chingiz Mustafayev

Today is the birthday of a national hero of Azerbaijan, Chingiz Mustafayev, who was tragically killed during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Even during his lifetime one of the most famous journalists of Azerbaijan, Chingiz Mustafayev, became a role model for a whole generation of young people who grew up in the darkest years of Azerbaijan's independence. Many have tried to be like him, and some chose journalism as a profession because of his outstanding journalistic career.

Mustafayev came to journalism during a crucial period for Azerbaijan, when the country was facing severe problems, and then began the war with Armenia, which is still unfinished. It is the war in Karabakh, which finally determined his way as a television reporter and led him to the peak of glory. It was hard to believe that the young man, who in fact became one of the founders of independent television in the country, was once a doctor. After high school he graduated from the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute and worked as a doctor in the Divichi district (Shabran), and after that as the chief doctor at the sanatorium at the Institute of Civil Engineers.

Unique and talented in everything, from the first years of independence of Azerbaijan Chingiz Mustafayev was involved in the problems of young people, he carried out various entertainment shows in the evening and was very different from his peers in the organization of  youth camps. It was Chingiz, who created the first music center in Baku - "Disco", he also participated in the folk group "Ozan" and the youth studio "Impromptu". In addition, music, art, and a sense of beauty all made him interested in what is happening around him, maybe that's why he later became a journalist.

Under his leadership, in October 1991 the studio "CL 215" was created. The studio differed greatly  from the Azerbaijani television of those days, and it was at that time when Mustafayev emerged as a popular TV host. Chingiz hosted such shows as  "No One Will be Forgotten" and "Face to Face". The Azerbaijani public first saw him as a reporter in video footage shot during the bloody events of January 1990. Thanks to the records made by Chingiz the international community learned about the bloody deeds of the Soviet army in Baku on the night of January 19-20. Mustafayev sought interviews with hard-to-reach officials of the Soviet regime - Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Ayaz Mutallibov, Raisa Gorbachev, Galina Starovoitsova and others.

The part of Chingiz's life as a reporter and cameraman, during which he worked in Karabakh, takes a special place not only in the history of Azerbaijani television, but also in the whole history of Azerbaijan. It is no wonder that today, as well as during the period of active hostilities in Karabakh, Chingiz Mustafayev is one of the symbols of the war. His shots of active hostilities in Karabakh spread all over the world, and reports from Khojaly, footage of scalped Azerbaijan children, women and elderly people still move anyone who sees these stories again.

When Armenia started the war against Azerbaijan, Chingiz devoted himself entirely to military journalism. There was no hot spot where he did not appear with his camera. On June 15, 1992, during fierce fighting in the village of  Nakhchivanik in Nagorno-Karabakh, Chingiz Mustafayev was killed by shrapnel enemy mines. In 1993 he was awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan.

Today the opening of the first Motor Festival in the Caucasus, dedicated to the birthday of Chingiz Mustafayev, was held in Sheki. The festival will be attended by bikers from Azerbaijan and foreign countries. Bon Jovi, the Rolling Stones and other musicians will perform during the event. Motofest CAUCASUS is being supported by Harley Davidson, Baku HOG Azerbaijan, the Sheki City Hall and the Chingiz Mustafayev Foundation.