Latest news with #Azerbaijani
OC Media
4 hours ago
- Politics
- OC Media
Former German MP convicted of giving bribes on behalf of Azerbaijan
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 Eduard Lintner, a former member of the German Parliament, has been convicted of bribing officials on behalf of the Azerbaijani government. A Munich court handed him a nine-month suspended prison sentence, which may still be appealed. The case stems from a now eight-year old investigation, referred to as the 'Azerbaijani Laundromat', uncovered by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) in 2017. 'Azerbaijan's ruling elite used a $2.9 billion slush fund to enrich themselves and pay European politicians to polish the country's image amid international criticism of its human rights record', the OCCRP wrote, describing the scandal. Lintner pleaded not guilty in the case, claiming that he was simply lobbying on behalf of Azerbaijan with 'honourable motives'. In addition to Lintner's sentence, the Munich court ordered for almost $130,000 to be confiscated from the widower of late-German MP and member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe (PACE), Karin Strenz, who died in 2021. The court said that Strenz had been bribed by Lintner, as well as directly by Baku, to portray Azerbaijan in a more favourable light within PACE. The funds in question represent 'the value of proceeds from the offence', a court spokesperson told the OCCRP. Advertisement Previously, charges against two other individuals in connection to the same 'Azerbaijani Laundromat' scheme were dropped after they confessed. The trial of a fourth individual has been delayed. In a statement on Wednesday, Maíra Martini, the CEO of anti-corruption NGO Transparency International said that the 'verdict shows that justice is possible, even in complex transnational corruption cases. Authorities in other countries linked to the Azerbaijani Laundromat scheme should follow Germany's example and take action to ensure that those who took bribes and helped whitewash repression do not escape scrutiny'. Lintner's conviction in the Azerbaijani Laundromat affair is the latest case involving alleged bribes from Baku toward foreign politicians. In May 2024, Henry Cuellar, a member of the US Congress from Texas, was indicted, along with his wife, for reportedly accepting around $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. Cuellar was nonetheless reelected later that year. Earlier in July 2025, the US Justice Department said the criminal proceedings against Cuellar would be moving forward. However, the New York Times reported that related charges against Cuellar under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) might be dropped amidst an ongoing push from the administration of President Donald Trump to 'scale back such prosecutions under the law'.
OC Media
8 hours ago
- Politics
- OC Media
Why I'm begging the universe for Azerbaijan not to recognise the Circassian Genocide
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 Yes, I'm back again with yet another newsletter about the Circassian Genocide. I promise, I'm not trying to meet any quotas and Robin is not forcing me to write these at gunpoint. I've just been in a perpetual state of annoyance ever since I read this article on APA, an Azerbaijani pro-government media outlet, about how important it was for the world to recognise the Circassian Genocide as 'another stain on Russia'. Important context: APA's content is objectively not journalism — it's drivel dictated by the government that has laid total waste to independent media in the country, rendering the scene virtually barren. This article was born out of an ongoing diplomatic row between Baku and Moscow, which began in December last year after the fatal crash in Kazakhstan's Aktau of an Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) flight headed from Baku to Grozny. In the months following the crash, Azerbaijan has gone from hinting at Russia possibly having shot down the plane to straight up accusing it of doing so and covering up its tracks. The dramatic fallout between the two peaked in June, with the two countries detaining quite a few of each other's citizens. Azerbaijani pro-government media was locked and loaded, regularly generating criticism of Russia. There is no shadow of a doubt that this APA article on the Circassian Genocide is part of that campaign. It quite extensively details the events leading up to the genocide and its impact on the North Caucasus and the Circassians — the vast majority of whom were exiled from the region. It criticises Russia's refusal to acknowledge the genocide and it's eradication of the Circassian language, culture, and historical memory. Advertisement It says Azerbaijan and the Circassians were bound together by 'collective traumas caused by imperial policies' — either the Russian Empire's or the Soviet Union's. It notes that Circassian diaspora organisations in Turkey were among the first to not only express condolences to Azerbaijan over the AZAL crash, but they also condemned the act 'as another example of imperial violence and disregard for law', declaring that 'Russian imperial brutality is not just the pain of one nation, but a shared grief for all peoples of the region'. It also claims that interest in the Circassian Genocide in Azerbaijan was growing among local media, researchers, and civil society activists — all driven closer by the shared suffering wrought on them by Russia. Could this be a sign that Azerbaijan might recognise the genocide? Gosh, I certainly hope not. We've seen Azerbaijan tout its championing of oppressed indigenous peoples' rights before with its targeting of Western European nations with brutal colonial histories — most notably France, which openly and staunchly supports Armenia. In that absurd episode, we saw France accuse Azerbaijan of supporting riots in one of its overseas territories, New Caledonia, claiming that Baku 'made a deal' with Caledonian pro-independence leaders. In the months since, we've seen an evidently government-linked Baku Initiative Group host a variety of seminars and conferences decrying the effects of European colonialism on indigenous people around the world. While I recognise that the recognition of other nations' tragedies will always be political in nature, I do want to see more countries recognise it, as with Ukraine's own recognition of the Circassian Genocide earlier this year or Georgia's recognition in 2011. However, I believe an Azerbaijani recognition will do the cause more harm than good. Aside from it coming from nowhere, it would be based on a disingenuous 'anti-colonial' narrative, made even more absurd by Azerbaijan's own miserable track record. Let's not forget the Aliyev regime continues to oppress its own indigenous Talysh population and that it ethnically cleansed Nagorno-Karabakh of Armenians in September 2023. On the global stage, Azerbaijan also materially supports the Israeli warmachine in its ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Would the Circassians celebrate an Azerbaijani recognition? Err, possibly, but that remains to be seen, and I'll sleep better if it was met with condemnation instead.
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Syrian, Israeli officials to meet again in Baku
Shafaq News – Baku Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is set to meet with Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on Thursday in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, a diplomatic source told AFP. The meeting will focus primarily on the security situation in southern Syria and will follow al-Shibani's scheduled visit to Moscow the same day, according to the source. This will mark the second meeting between the two ministers, following a similar US-brokered encounter held in Paris last week. Damascus recently acknowledged indirect talks with Israel focused on restoring the 1974 disengagement agreement that created the Golan buffer zone. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated a potential policy shift late last month, saying 'Israel is open to pursuing a peace and normalization agreement with Syria.' Israel, a key arms supplier to Azerbaijan and a prominent diplomatic actor in the Caucasus, has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December. Israeli forces also entered the UN-monitored buffer zone on the Golan Heights, conducting further operations in southern Syria.
Metro
a day ago
- Sport
- Metro
Former Barcelona midfielder in hospital after dog bite to his genitals
Former Barcelona midfielder Carles Perez has been hospitalised in Greece after being bitten on the genitals by a dog. The incident took place in Thermi, a suburb on the southern outskirts of Thessaloniki, while Perez was walking his dog on Tuesday morning. During the walk, Perez's dog was attacked by another dog and while trying to separate the two animals, the 27-year-old was bitten on the genitals. The Spanish midfielder was taken to a private hospital in Panorama, another suburb outside Thessaloniki, after suffering a 'deep gash' to his genitals, which required six stitches. Aris confirmed on Wednesday that Perez has suffered a 'soft tissue infection' from the dog bite. Perez has now been ruled out of Aris' UEFA Conference League qualifier at home to Azerbaijani side Araz-Nakhchivan on Thursday. Speaking on Wednesday, Aris manager Marinos Ouzounidis confirmed that Perez was due to start against Araz-Nakhchivan. 'Carles would have been in the starting line-up,' Ouzounidis said at a press conference. More Trending 'This incident happened but we can't dwell on it any longer. My mind is working on alternative solutions and we have worked on them. 'That's why I insist that it's important to have players with personality. So I'm interested in the group of players that I will have at my disposal, to give the most they can.' Perez, who made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2019, has also played for Roma, Celta and Getafe. He joined Greek Super League side Aris on a season-long loan from Celta earlier this month. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Herd of wild donkeys aiming kicks and ransacking bins in New Forest village MORE: The unexpected UK train journey where you can see polar bears MORE: Boy, 2, killed cobra by biting its head after it coiled around his arm while he played
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
While Iran stalls, Azerbaijan and Israel push forward
In his posthumously published memoirs, Iranian political heavyweight Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani recalled his meetings with Heydar Aliyev, then president of Azerbaijan, during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in November 1993. According to Rafsanjani, Aliyev was demanding that Iran provide military support to Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia. Rafsanjani wrote: 'One of his constant remarks was that Iran should seize the opportunity of the war with the Armenians to expand its presence in Azerbaijan. At times, he even mentioned that Azerbaijan belonged to Iran, urging us to come, defend it, and take control.' He added: 'When we were in Nakhchivan, he said similar things. He argued that if Iran brought Azerbaijan under its influence, it would shake Russia's dominance over the entire Caucasus.' Thirty-two years later, the tables have turned. No longer do Azerbaijani officials seek Tehran's involvement in Baku's affairs. Now it is Iranian politicians who seem unsure how to manage relations with a small but assertive neighbour. A neighbour that gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but was once part of Iran before being ceded to the Russian Empire through the treaties of Golestan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828). New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Over the past decade, the power dynamic between the two countries has shifted significantly. Some Azerbaijani figures and media outlets are now even calling for the annexation of parts of Iranian territory. Meanwhile, Iran's recent 12-day war with Israel and the United States has deepened the political divide. In Tehran concerns are mounting over Azerbaijan's expanding military and intelligence ties with Israel. Where did the Israeli drones come from? Right after Israel's war on Iran ended, residents near Iran's northwestern border reported sightings of Israeli drones entering from the direction of Azerbaijan. These accounts were later echoed by Iran's state broadcaster, whose director is appointed by the supreme leader. The reports suggested that drones used in attacks on cities including Tehran, Tabriz and Urmia have crossed into Iran from Azerbaijan. The claims drew enough attention that foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei was asked about them during a news conference. 'We shared the cases with the neighbouring countries, and we are following up on this issue,' he said. A few days later, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stated that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had assured him that Israel had not used Azerbaijani territory to launch attacks. This reassurance did not convince many in Iran. Neither the media nor political experts accepted it. A Tehran-based professor of international relations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the fact that both the foreign ministry and the president discussed the matter shows how serious it is for Iran. 'If Iran wasn't sure about Israeli involvement from the Azerbaijani border, it wouldn't have brought it up at such a high level,' the expert said. He also argued that Pezeshkian's comments about Aliyev's assurances show the failure of Iran's foreign policy in the Caucasus. 'What Pezeshkian said is just diplomatic language. In reality, Iran hasn't known how to deal with Azerbaijan since the last Karabakh war. Since then, Azerbaijan has gone from being a friendly - or at least neutral - country to a quiet but serious threat.' He pointed to high-level meetings between Azerbaijani and Israeli officials as further evidence of close collaboration between Baku and Tel Aviv. Israel on Iran's doorstep After breaking from the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan first grew close to Turkey, Iran's regional rival. Later, it also deepened its military and economic ties with Israel, which Iran sees as its main enemy. In recent years, Azerbaijan has become one of the leading suppliers of oil and gas to Israel, while importing advanced Israeli military and intelligence equipment. According to some reports, Israel provided nearly 70 percent of Azerbaijan's military arsenal between 2016 and 2020. Now, Azerbaijan is also working with the new Syrian government, which has shifted away from Iran after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. 'With no clear strategy in the Caucasus, Iran is now watching as Tel Aviv moves closer to its borders,' the expert said. He stressed that a new regional alliance between Israel, Syria and Azerbaijan could soon bring Israel to Iran's doorstep through Turkey. The only obstacle is the 43km stretch of land between Armenia and Iran that links Azerbaijan to its exclave, Nakhchivan. Control over this pass, also known as the Meghri or Zangezur corridor, has been a key demand from both Azerbaijan and Turkey since the 44-day Karabakh war in 2020. If war breaks out again between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Iran fears this corridor could fall into Azerbaijani hands. The expert warned that Azerbaijan is not just aligning itself with Israel, but it is also copying its military strategies. 'In recent years, Azerbaijan has favoured short but intense wars. This approach has helped it reach its goals. That's why another war with Armenia seems likely. In the long run, Iran should prepare for potential military pressure from its northwest. Even now, we're hearing louder voices from Azerbaijan calling for parts of Iranian territory,' he said. Demand for separating Iran's regions The expert was referring to increasing calls from some Azerbaijani figures for the separation of Iran's Turkish-speaking regions. Pan-Turkists refer to those areas as 'South Azerbaijan.' These include the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and even parts of Iran's Kurdish regions. Supporters of a Greater Kurdistan and Greater Armenia also claim some of these same areas. After ceasefire, Iran is preparing for the long war with Israel Read More » One of the latest campaigns promoting separation came after the 12-day war from the media outlet Araznews on X. The campaign, in Persian and Turkish, called for unity between the Turks of Tabriz in Iran, Baku in Azerbaijan, and Ankara in Turkey. Many participants shared videos of themselves flashing the hand sign of the far-right Grey Wolves group. In another example, Azerbaijani news outlet Caliber ran an English-language report describing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the "main enemy of the Azeris". A retired Iranian diplomat, who worked in the foreign ministry in the years after Azerbaijan gained independence, said these tactics started soon after Azerbaijan lost the first Karabakh war (1988-94). 'Once Baku realised it couldn't drag Iran into a military conflict with Armenia, it quickly turned to Iran's enemy, Israel,' said the former diplomat. 'There were concerns, but Azerbaijan wasn't seen as a major player in military, political, or economic terms, so Iran didn't develop a clear policy toward it.' That calculation has since changed. 'Active neutrality' Azerbaijan has built strong military ties with Israel and boosted its economy through oil and gas exports. But according to the diplomat, Iran's approach towards Azerbaijan has not shifted. Iran has called its stance 'active neutrality' in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia - a policy that, the former diplomat argues, has now backfired. 'Iran is paying the price for this so-called neutrality. It may have made sense early on, but as Azerbaijan grew closer to Israel, it ended up hurting Iran. In reality, it wasn't neutrality, it was passivity.' He also dismissed the Iranian government's claim that its opposition to the Zangezur Corridor is about preserving trade routes to Europe through Armenia. Trade data from 2023 shows Iran exported just $412m worth of goods to Armenia and imported only $45m. 'With no clear strategy in the Caucasus, Iran is now watching as Tel Aviv moves closer to its borders' - Professor of international relations, Tehran Instead, he pointed to two deeper reasons for Iran's stance: first, its long-standing policy of aligning with Russian interests in the region; second, its fear of Israel getting too close to its borders. 'The establishment's leaders never expected to face a security threat from Azerbaijan. They focused on expanding their influence in Arab countries and didn't see this coming. That's where they got caught off guard.' While he declined to confirm whether Israel used Azerbaijani airspace in the recent attacks, the diplomat said Azerbaijan's use of Israeli-made drones, surveillance tech, and defence systems is clear proof of how far Israeli influence has reached. Right now, he added, Iran has no choice but to engage in diplomacy with Azerbaijan. But in the long run, that may only make things worse and give Israel another pressure point to use against Tehran. 'Whether or not Israel launched attacks from Azerbaijani territory, the real issue is that Iran knows it's vulnerable on its northwest border. The question now is whether the high-ranking decision makers will act, or continue down the same failed path of 'active neutrality',' the diplomat said.
