AZE.US
Ilgar Mammadov, a member of the Political Committee of Azerbaijan’s Republican Alternative Party (REAL), has addressed an open letter to President Ilham Aliyev, alleging an attempt to pressure him into reducing his political activity.
The appeal followed a social media post by Agasif Shakiroglu, chairman of the Future Azerbaijan Party. Shakiroglu sharply criticized Mammadov over an ironic comment about Azerbaijan’s closed land borders and described his remarks as a “final warning.”
Mammadov said this was the second time a senior political party official who actively supports and promotes the president’s policies had issued such a warning against him.
“The essence of the warning is this: stop making political statements or reduce their relevance,” Mammadov wrote.
According to the REAL politician, any warning implies possible consequences if it is ignored. He said he did not know what those consequences might be but recalled that similar developments in the past had ended with his imprisonment.
“I would like to know whether anyone in our country can issue a warning aimed at ending my political activity without the consent and knowledge of the head of state. If they cannot, why do such things happen?” the letter said.
Mammadov stressed that he personally tends to believe Shakiroglu’s statements had not originated with Aliyev, but . He said a public response from the president would also reassure the wider public that the warning had not been authorized by the country’s leadership.
The opposition politician said he continued to conduct his political activities honestly, peacefully and in accordance with modern democratic practices. He added that he had hoped the most difficult chapter of his political career had ended in 2020.
“If this is not the case, and your party and government genuinely intend to impose new restrictions on my political activity, with these warnings being a sign of that intention, it can only be regretted,” Mammadov wrote.
He added that he did not want a new generation entering public and political life to develop in an atmosphere of intimidation.
The dispute began after Mammadov jokingly asked whether, if Armenia joined the European Union, “50,000 Europeans” might break through the border and flee to Azerbaijan, adding that they would be unable to do so because Azerbaijan’s land borders remain closed.
Shakiroglu responded by calling Mammadov “not a serious person,” using personal insults and urging him to “keep his head down.” He described the statement as his final warning.
AZE.US