Azerbaijani soldiers' relatives achieve authorities' attention

The protesters in Baku, who demanded that their sons be given the status of shahids (martyrs), have been invited to the presidential administration, and their applications were taken, protesters have informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 15, fifteen family members of perished military servicemen tried to hold a picket in front of the building of the Azerbaijani presidential administration, demanding that their sons who died in the war in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 be given the official status of shahids. The police pushed the picketers and about a dozen journalists away into an alley located about 50 meters from the presidential administration.

Baialy Azizov, a picketer and the father of the soldier, Elkhan Azizov, who perished in non-combat situation in 1994 in the Dashkesan District, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the aim of the picket was to amend the 1994 law on the shahid status. "They tell us that the circumstances of our sons' deaths don't fall under the provisions of this law; therefore, our sons can't receive the status. They write in official letters that my son perished in non-combat conditions. I have been touring offices for 12 years; and everything rests on this law. It needs to be amended," the man said.

Sanubar Alieva told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that her son, Elman Aliev, died in a road accident in 1997. "They were returning from reconnaissance, and on the way the vehicle overturned. They tell me that he did not die from a bullet, which means he is not a shahid. I demand that he be awarded this status, or let them return my son alive. Why is he not worthy of being a shahid? Hasn't Elman perished while performing a combat mission?" she has asked.

Sevindj Yusubova, another picketer, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the protesters were invited for a talk to the presidential administration, where they took 25 applications, in which families express their demands, and promised to give official answers thereto.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 16, 2022 at 03:30 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.