In mid-July, the information war around Nagorno-Karabakh reached a new level. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Oganyan claimed that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan had formed an intelligence and sabotage group and recruited criminals familiar with the territory. The group, in his words, was allegedly responsible for sabotage in Nagorno-Karabakh, and noble Armenian soldiers neutralized it. Azerbaijani citizens Dilgam Askerov and Shakhbaz Guliyev were detained, Gasan Gasanov killed.
The announcement caused outrage in Baku because Azerbaijani military specialists are skilled enough to accomplish combat and intelligence operations without having to recruit civilians, so there was no saboteur group formed at the Defense Ministry.
The story would not have been a cause célèbre if it were not for the death of one man and the detention of others labeled as saboteurs. Baku calls them captives and is fighting for their release. The International Committee of the Red Cross is assisting in the process.
“So many days have passed! Why doesn't the Armenian side let ICRC officials meet the Azerbaijanis taken captive? Because people are doing what they want with them. They are tortured, forced to speak, different substances are injected into them,” the Azerbaijani vice prime minister said.
Relatives of the deceased Gasan Gasanov have identified him by photos the ICRC acquired. Armenia refuses to return the body, stating that they need more identification materials.
The story drew attention to the problem of captives who were labeled as saboteurs at different times. The question is, why would civilians enter occupied territories if they were not spies or saboteurs? The answer is very simple. They try to reach their home, the place they used to live in, where they had their best time before the war.
The captives are no different. One day, three friends swore that they would see their homeland every year, no matter what happens. They describe their Karabakh in a personal video made in 2009: “One day, I was asked “you are a young man, why don’t you visit Mecca or Medina and visit Kalbajar instead?” For two years in a row, 16 days without food, without water, on the way towards the places, I pass the territories protected by Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces, visit my holy homeland, Kalbajar. For me, Kalbajar, Shaplar are the second Mecca, Medina. So far, I have opportunities and strength to visit the village at any time.” The video of 2009 depicts them full of hopes. But the year was unfortunate, one of them was killed and two taken captive, their fate remains uncertain.
“How can I violate the border inside my own country? We will all visit our lands, the lands of our ancestors when we want. It is our right to visit our lands occupied by the enemy. This is not just about Kalbajar. The captives were on the way to their land. They were visiting the graves of their parents. We need to visit the land of our ancestors and live there,” stated Bayram Safarov, the head of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Public Association.
Vestnik Kavkaza commentary
Many graduates of the Lomonosov MSU live in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Many of us – experts of Vestnik Kavkaza – associate our student years with the best years of youth.
Moscow is one of the few very dear cities for us, where we can meet, where ethnic origin does not become an obstacle.
One time, a graduate of the History Faculty, a Candidate of History, asked a gifted man, his colleague, a Muscovite, a question he could not answer himself. A native Shushian, a countryman of Rashid Bekhbudov, Polad Bulbulogly admitted to the Muscovite that he had disobeyed his mother for the first time when he had failed to comply with her will. The last and only request of his mother was to bury her in her hometown of Shushe, next to her husband. A man worshiping the MSU as a holy temple of science asked his friend, a Russian intellectual: whose fault was his failure to fulfil his mother’s last request? He added that he did not care about problems of big politics and the only goal was to comply with the will.
A few years ago, another graduate of ours, a member of a delegation, met Karabakh refugees living on the frontline zone for over 20 years. Every morning they see their village occupied. Every day, they see their half-broken homes and their only wish is to cross the artificial border, enter their home, kiss their land, visit the graves of their relatives. And they went to see their homes. Is this a crime? According to the nationalists keeping the land under control, it is a crime! One of the Karabakhians was killed, the others are rotting in jail.
One of the men can be seen on the video. Watch it and decide who is responsible and what to do.
Sensational video of Azerbaijanis in Kalbajar prove that they were not saboteursIn mid-July, the information war around Nagorno-Karabakh reached a new level. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Oganyan claimed that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan had formed an intelligence and sabotage group and recruited criminals familiar with the territory. The group, in his words, was allegedly responsible for sabotage in Nagorno-Karabakh, and noble Armenian soldiers neutralized it. Azerbaijani citizens Dilgam Askerov and Shakhbaz Guliyev were detained, Gasan Gasanov killed.The announcement caused outrage in Baku because Azerbaijani military specialists are skilled enough to accomplish combat and intelligence operations without having to recruit civilians, so there was no saboteur group formed at the Defense Ministry.The story would not have been a cause célèbre if it were not for the death of one man and the detention of others labeled as saboteurs. Baku calls them captives and is fighting for their release. The International Committee of the Red Cross is assisting in the process.“So many days have passed! Why doesn't the Armenian side let ICRC officials meet the Azerbaijanis taken captive? Because people are doing what they want with them. They are tortured, forced to speak, different substances are injected into them,” the Azerbaijani vice prime minister said.Relatives of the deceased Gasan Gasanov have identified him by photos the ICRC acquired. Armenia refuses to return the body, stating that they need more identification materials.The story drew attention to the problem of captives who were labeled as saboteurs at different times. The question is, why would civilians enter occupied territories if they were not spies or saboteurs? The answer is very simple. They try to reach their home, the place they used to live in, where they had their best time before the war.The captives are no different. One day, three friends swore that they would see their homeland every year, no matter what happens. They describe their Karabakh in a personal video made in 2009: “One day, I was asked “you are a young man, why don’t you visit Mecca or Medina and visit Kalbajar instead?” For two years in a row, 16 days without food, without water, on the way towards the places, I pass the territories protected by Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces, visit my holy homeland, Kalbajar. For me, Kalbajar, Shaplar are the second Mecca, Medina. So far, I have opportunities and strength to visit the village at any time.” The video of 2009 depicts them full of hopes. But the year was unfortunate, one of them was killed and two taken captive, their fate remains uncertain.“How can I violate the border inside my own country? We will all visit our lands, the lands of our ancestors when we want. It is our right to visit our lands occupied by the enemy. This is not just about Kalbajar. The captives were on the way to their land. They were visiting the graves of their parents. We need to visit the land of our ancestors and live there,” stated Bayram Safarov, the head of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Public Association.Vestnik Kavkaza commentaryMany graduates of the Lomonosov MSU live in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Many of us – experts of Vestnik Kavkaza – associate our student years with the best years of youth.Moscow is one of the few very dear cities for us, where we can meet, where ethnic origin does not become an obstacle.One time, a graduate of the History Faculty, a Candidate of History, asked a gifted man, his colleague, a Muscovite, a question he could not answer himself. A native Shushian, a countryman of Rashid Bekhbudov, Polad Bulbulogly admitted to the Muscovite that he had disobeyed his mother for the first time when he had failed to comply with her will. The last and only request of his mother was to bury her in her hometown of Shushe, next to her husband. A man worshiping the MSU as a holy temple of science asked his friend, a Russian intellectual: whose fault was his failure to fulfil his mother’s last request? He added that he did not care about problems of big politics and the only goal was to comply with the will.A few years ago, another graduate of ours, a member of a delegation, met Karabakh refugees living on the frontline zone for over 20 years. Every morning they see their village occupied. Every day, they see their half-broken homes and their only wish is to cross the artificial border, enter their home, kiss their land, visit the graves of their relatives. And they went to see their homes. Is this a crime? According to the nationalists keeping the land under control, it is a crime! One of the Karabakhians was killed, the others are rotting in jail.One of the men can be seen on the video. Watch it and decide who is responsible and what to d
