Day: December 18, 2024

Sevinj Vagifgizi dedicated her award to all journalists fighting against corruption.

On December 10, Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of “Abzas Media,” who is currently in prison, was declared the “Global Anti-Corruption Champion.” In light of this achievement, she addressed the public in a heartfelt appeal.

The journalist expressed her gratitude to those who deemed her deserving of the award, as well as to everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles:
“I would like to thank everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles for deeming me worthy of this prestigious award.”

As part of “Abzas Media,” Sevinj Vagifgizi and her team have uncovered a wide range of corruption. They exposed the criminal activities of the family members of the country’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, and how the officials appointed by him misused state funds. Reflecting on the situation, she said, “Unfortunately, instead of opening criminal cases against these officials based on these facts, state agencies accused the journalists who uncovered these crimes of ‘dirty money’ and imprisoned them.”

According to Vagifgizi, after Ilham Aliyev took control of the judiciary and the legislative bodies, he has now shifted his focus to eliminating independent media. “However, I believe that everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles will not allow the destruction of the country’s only breathing entity, the free media. This award is an achievement of all journalists who have uncovered corruption crimes.”

The Global Anti-Corruption Champions Award, established in the U.S. in 2021, is designed to recognize individuals who have taken extraordinary steps in the fight against corruption. It also aims to demonstrate solidarity with these heroic partners.

Along with Sevinj Vagifgizi, nine other individuals were honored with this prestigious award.

Sevinj Vagifgizi was arrested on November 21, 2023, as part of the “Abzas Media Case.” She, along with five other imprisoned staff members of the media organization, has been accused of smuggling.

The journalists have denied the charges, asserting that their arrests are directly linked to their investigations into corruption.

The post A Journalist’s Public Appeal: Aliyev Wants to Destroy the Media That Investigates Him appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.

Security Council secretary says Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting may take place earlier than scheduled  Arka.am

Worldwide, global demand for coal is expected to reach record levels in 2024, with China and India continuing to be the primary consumers, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijan wants EU monitoring mission to leave  Eurasianet

Can Georgia still find a way out of its crisis?  DW (English)

Can Georgia still find a way out of its crisis?  DW (English)

“The current account surplus (CAS) of Azerbaijan’s balance of payments amounted to $4 bln, or 7.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over the past nine months. According to the State Customs Committee, a positive trade balance of 5.6 billion USD was recorded in the foreign trade balance, which is the main component of the current account balance, in the first eleven months of 2024,” Azernews reports, citing the Central Bank.

Sevinj Vagifgizi dedicated her award to all journalists fighting against corruption.

On December 10, Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of “Abzas Media,” who is currently in prison, was declared the “Global Anti-Corruption Champion.” In light of this achievement, she addressed the public in a heartfelt appeal.

The journalist expressed her gratitude to those who deemed her deserving of the award, as well as to everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles:
“I would like to thank everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles for deeming me worthy of this prestigious award.”

As part of “Abzas Media,” Sevinj Vagifgizi and her team have uncovered a wide range of corruption. They exposed the criminal activities of the family members of the country’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, and how the officials appointed by him misused state funds. Reflecting on the situation, she said, “Unfortunately, instead of opening criminal cases against these officials based on these facts, state agencies accused the journalists who uncovered these crimes of ‘dirty money’ and imprisoned them.”

According to Vagifgizi, after Ilham Aliyev took control of the judiciary and the legislative bodies, he has now shifted his focus to eliminating independent media. “However, I believe that everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles will not allow the destruction of the country’s only breathing entity, the free media. This award is an achievement of all journalists who have uncovered corruption crimes.”

The Global Anti-Corruption Champions Award, established in the U.S. in 2021, is designed to recognize individuals who have taken extraordinary steps in the fight against corruption. It also aims to demonstrate solidarity with these heroic partners.

Along with Sevinj Vagifgizi, nine other individuals were honored with this prestigious award.

Sevinj Vagifgizi was arrested on November 21, 2023, as part of the “Abzas Media Case.” She, along with five other imprisoned staff members of the media organization, has been accused of smuggling.

The journalists have denied the charges, asserting that their arrests are directly linked to their investigations into corruption.

The post A Journalist’s Public Appeal: Aliyev Wants to Destroy the Media That Investigates Him appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.

Sevinj Vagifgizi dedicated her award to all journalists fighting against corruption.

On December 10, Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of “Abzas Media,” who is currently in prison, was declared the “Global Anti-Corruption Champion.” In light of this achievement, she addressed the public in a heartfelt appeal.

The journalist expressed her gratitude to those who deemed her deserving of the award, as well as to everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles:
“I would like to thank everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles for deeming me worthy of this prestigious award.”

As part of “Abzas Media,” Sevinj Vagifgizi and her team have uncovered a wide range of corruption. They exposed the criminal activities of the family members of the country’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, and how the officials appointed by him misused state funds. Reflecting on the situation, she said, “Unfortunately, instead of opening criminal cases against these officials based on these facts, state agencies accused the journalists who uncovered these crimes of ‘dirty money’ and imprisoned them.”

According to Vagifgizi, after Ilham Aliyev took control of the judiciary and the legislative bodies, he has now shifted his focus to eliminating independent media. “However, I believe that everyone who remains loyal to democratic principles will not allow the destruction of the country’s only breathing entity, the free media. This award is an achievement of all journalists who have uncovered corruption crimes.”

The Global Anti-Corruption Champions Award, established in the U.S. in 2021, is designed to recognize individuals who have taken extraordinary steps in the fight against corruption. It also aims to demonstrate solidarity with these heroic partners.

Along with Sevinj Vagifgizi, nine other individuals were honored with this prestigious award.

Sevinj Vagifgizi was arrested on November 21, 2023, as part of the “Abzas Media Case.” She, along with five other imprisoned staff members of the media organization, has been accused of smuggling.

The journalists have denied the charges, asserting that their arrests are directly linked to their investigations into corruption.

The post A Journalist’s Public Appeal: Aliyev Wants to Destroy the Media That Investigates Him appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.

Protesters tortured in Georgia

In Georgia, representatives of three non-governmental organizations—Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of the “European Orbit of Georgia” platform Nino Lomjaria, and Head of the Rule of Law Center Londa Toloraia—held a special briefing to discuss the systematic torture and inhumane treatment of protesters by law enforcement agencies.

How special forces beat protesters in Tbilisi: stories from those hospitalized

We share the stories and images of people who were brutally beaten, injured, and arrested at pro-European protests in Tbilisi

According to representatives of NGOs, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs employed various means, including pepper spray and unidentified water-soluble substances, to disperse tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators.

• In some cases, dispersal began with direct pursuit and detention of protesters before issuing warning signals or deploying other methods.
• Riot police used water cannons and gas, depriving peaceful protesters of the ability to breathe or see properly, causing panic and creating a real risk of stampedes and chaos.
• Special forces indiscriminately detained protesters obscured by tear gas, capturing anyone who failed to leave the area in time.
• In certain instances, peaceful demonstrators who complied with dispersal orders were ambushed and detained.

Torture, inhumane, and degrading treatment of detainees

• Special forces applied physical violence against detainees during and after their arrest.
• Police vehicles were designed to facilitate beatings, which were carried out by groups of special forces officers.
• According to detainees, physical violence, inhumane treatment, and torture were conducted under the supervision of a single individual who directed how and where detainees should be beaten.
• The most frequent injuries were inflicted on faces, necks, eyes, ribs, and kidneys.
• Alongside the beatings, special forces robbed detainees, confiscating clothing, shoes, mobile phones, bags, wallets, glasses, crosses, and other personal belongings.
• In one reported case, special forces threw a gas capsule into a van filled with detainees and locked the door.
• Other instances included pouring cold water on beaten and robbed detainees.
• Detainees were insulted, threatened with death, rape, or bodily harm.
• According to a lawyer for one detainee, law enforcement officers transported him to the outskirts of the city, threatening to kill and bury him there.
• Security forces further humiliated detainees by filming and photographing acts of abuse, forcing them to utter degrading statements. In some cases, the head of Georgian special forces, Zviad Kharazishvili, personally recorded the beatings.

Amnesty International on Georgia: “Systematic, state-sanctioned human rights violations”

“Over 300 protesters, the majority of those arrested, were subjected to violence and torture by law enforcement”

Transfer of beaten and tortured detainees to police stations and detention centres

• After being subjected to abuse by special forces, detainees were handed over to the patrol police, who first dispersed them to various police stations and later transported them to detention centres after 3-4 hours.
• Due to overcrowded detention centres, beaten and soaked detainees were left in vehicles for hours (on average, over three hours). In some cases, detainees were sent to detention centres in other cities.
• Most arrest reports filed by police before transferring detainees to detention centres contained false and inaccurate information.
• Despite visible signs of torture and physical abuse, detainees were not provided timely or adequate medical care.
• Detainees were denied the opportunity to meet with lawyers or contact their families before being placed in detention centres.
• After the 48-hour detention period, detainees appearing in court rarely encountered fair trials.

Fabricated reports and false testimonies

• Police-prepared administrative violation reports were generic and formulaic, often lacking specifics like the time of the alleged violation and using vague locations such as “Rustaveli Avenue” or “near the Parliament.”
• Police officers testifying in court frequently gave false statements, describing alleged violations with vague phrases like “he was shouting aimlessly, calling us slaves and Russians.” The testimonies were nearly identical in all cases.
• Witnessing officers struggled to explain the exact legal demands they made to the accused citizens alleged to have disobeyed.
• Video evidence, including footage from surveillance cameras capturing the events, was often excluded from cases.
• When multiple police witnesses were present, their testimonies frequently contradicted each other.
• Arrest records often contained false information, including the names of officers involved in the arrests. In many cases, the officers listed were not present at the specified locations.
• Some police witnesses admitted in court that the detainee was arrested on their orders but failed to provide a legal basis for the arrest.
• In numerous instances, judges and state representatives collaborated to deflect critical questions from defence lawyers and assist police witnesses in providing ambiguous answers.

The wave of protests in Georgia erupted after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced on November 28 that the country was halting negotiations on joining the European Union.