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OC Media
11 hours ago
- OC Media
‘It's not beer that kills people — it's water'
Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member It's a strange thing: in the 21st century, in what is supposedly a civilised country, mass poisonings from drinking water still occur in Daghestan every year. Children are particularly affected — the same children who are supposedly 'our future' and a 'priority of state policy'. So why do these mass poisonings continue to happen in Daghestan year after year? There are, of course, many reasons, first and foremost being the human pollution of water sources and the degradation of sewage infrastructure. Solving this in a day, a week, or even a year is nearly impossible. But is anyone trying to solve the problem at all? Before 450 people were poisoned by tap water this year, repair work had reportedly been carried out on the water system. The local administration later claimed that the work had been successful. The result, however, was mass hospitalisations — although this time, at least, without fatalities. The director of the company responsible for the repair work has now been arrested. Yet is he the only one to blame? The problems with water in Daghestan have been known for far too long — instead of spending billions on the 'special military operation', paying out massive salaries to murderers, the Russian government should have been investing in things that truly matter, meeting the population's basic needs. It is also unclear why the company director is now being turned into a scapegoat, when previous incidents of mass poisoning were met with only symbolic punishments. After an outbreak in June 2024, which left 44 people were hospitalised, the fine was a mere ₽80,000 ($1,000); a few years earlier (January 2021, 162 affected), just ₽100,000 ($1,200). At the same time, a woman from Daghestan who waved a Palestinian flag during the unrest at the Makhachkala airport in 2023 was sentenced to 11 years in prison. So much for the 'most humane court system in the world'. And it is not only Daghestan that suffers from a lack of safe drinking water. In neighbouring regions, people aren't being hospitalised — because they simply have no water at all. Parts of Chechnya and Ingushetia are without water, even in this sweltering heat when drinking water is essential. Bottled water from shops? For many, it's an unaffordable luxury. In fact, things are even worse in the so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic' — places the majority of the world recognise as being Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. In most areas, water is now supplied once every three days for just four hours. So much for being 'liberated'. And while in Moscow and many other regions, people are used to boiling water, using filters, or buying large bottles, in the North Caucasus, people always knew the water from the tap was the cleanest and tastiest. It was one of the region's great natural riches. Before loudly boasting about successful import substitution, it would be wise to begin with the most basic and essential thing — drinking water. Only then can we talk about where else improvements might be made.
OC Media
a day ago
- OC Media
Azerbaijan calls out spread of ‘fake news' aimed at inflaming tensions with Russia
Sign in or or Become a member to unlock the audio version of this article Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member In recent days, Azerbaijani officials have been targeted by what the government has called 'fake news' — posts impersonating top officials with inflammatory content about the country's relations with Russia. On Monday and Tuesday, pro-government media outlets in Azerbaijan published statements by the Media Development Agency debunking fabricated screenshots showing statements by high-ranking officials regarding Russian–Azerbaijani relations. The screenshots showed statements attributed to presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev, First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, and Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov. Azerbaijan's Media Development Agency has dismissed all of the posts as 'fake news', calling on journalists to only cite official sources and not to publish news that has not been shared by official media. The 'fake news' appeared to have been primarily shared through screenshots on social media showing fabricated news reports in the style of official websites or news agencies. Screenshots dismissed by the agency as fake but attributed to Hajiyev show a Russian statement published on the president's official website. 'A false statement on behalf of the Hajiyev about Russian–Azerbaijani relations was disseminated in a number of social networks. This statement, imitating the image of the official website of the President of Azerbaijan and containing fabricated claims, is an example of gross information manipulation aimed at misleading public opinion', wrote the agency. Advertisement According to the screenshot of the statement, Hajiyev says that President Ilham Aliyev's 'personal ambitions' were the 'only reason for the deterioration of relations with the Russian Federation'. 'Russia met us halfway, made all the necessary payments to the victims of the accident with the AZAL flight, without waiting for the conclusions of the investigation into the incident', read the statement debunked as fake by the Media Development Agency. The news was shared the day after the third Global Shusha Media Forum in Stepanakert (Khankendi). During the forum, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is preparing to take Russia to international court over the deadly plane crash. On the same day, the Media Development Agency debunked what appeared to be a deep fake of Deputy Prime Minister Yqub Eyyubov. 'Several social media accounts, allegedly on behalf of the First Deputy Prime Minister, Eyyubov, have made a statement using 'deep fake' technology that does not correspond to reality. The statement claims that Azerbaijan is pursuing an aggressive policy towards Russia', the statement read. The Media Development Agency claimed that the video were created 'by certain circles using artificial intelligence and aimed at polluting the information space, which is an example of gross manipulation aimed at misleading public opinion'. Further news debunked as fake but attributed to Interior Minister Eyvazov surfaced on social media on Tuesday, appearing to show him calling Aliyev's remarks at the forum 'emotional in nature', as well saying that they 'do not reflect the official position of the Interior Ministry'. 'We remain neutral and distant, focusing on fulfilling our direct duties. Few people liked President Aliyev's statements', the screenshot read. The Media Development Agency again dismissed the statement as fake, calling it an 'example of gross information manipulation aimed at misleading public opinion'. They called on the 'citizens of Azerbaijan, journalists, and public activists to always show integrity in such cases and to be vigilant in a situation where campaigns based on false and misleading information are gaining momentum'. All screenshots debunked by the agency were published in Russian and were focused on Azerbaijani–Russian relations. None of the officials featured in the screenshots have issued any statements or comments following their publication.
Civil.ge
a day ago
- Civil.ge
Tbilisi Hosts World Fencing Championship Featuring Russian Military-Affiliated Athletes
Georgian sports officials called for separating sports from politics as the Tbilisi-hosted World Fencing Championship has drawn controversy for featuring Russian fencers, including at least three with active military ranks in the Russian army. The international competition with more than 100 athletes takes place in the Georgian capital from July 22 to 30 and follows the July 11 decision by the International Fencing Federation to allow Russian and Belarusian fencers to compete as 'neutral athletes' (AIN). The athletes must submit a 'sworn declaration of neutrality' and pledge to support the organization's 'peace mission' to be allowed to participate. Among the Russian participants are Maj or Sofya Velikaya, Lieutenant Yana Egorian, and Warrant Officer Olga Nikitina, who, according to media reports , have received state honors directly from Russian Leader Vladimir Putin. The reports led to an international backlash towards the International Fencing Federation, including from the fencing community. Over 400 international fencers called in a July 17 letter on the Federation to reverse its decision and 'resume thorough reviews and checks on every athlete applying for AIN status.' Olga Kharlan, top Ukrainian sabre fencer and five-time Olympic gold medalist, opted out of the competition after the FIE's decision, slamming the presence of Russian athlete Sofya Velikaya. ' Sofya Velikaya – a major in the Russian army is not just a fencer. She is a tool of state propaganda, part of a massive machine that has justified war and violence for years,' Kharlan wrote on social media on July 8. Velikaya, 40, was among 20 Russian public figures blacklisted by Ukraine for either supporting the full-scale invasion or maintaining close ties with sanctioned entities. She is also a member of CSKA, a sports club affiliated with the Russian military. The presence of Russian athletes also sparked outrage among some Georgians, but sports officials dismissed the concerns while confirming that the athletes do, in fact, hold military ranks. 'We should separate sports from politics,' the president of the Georgian Fencing Federation, Meab Bazadze, told Formula TV as the host federation also faces backlash. He added that it was the FIE that decided to include the Russian athletes in the competition. 'I know they hold military ranks, but I've known these athletes for many years,' Bazadze said. 'They are successful sportsmen, and I've never seen them holding a gun,' he added. Also Read:
