Azeri magazine staff launch own investigation of editor’s murder

Azadliq, Baku
10 Mar 05

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 10
March headlined “Monitor’s staff are setting up a new magazine” and
subheaded “Eynulla Fatullayev: ‘We have launched our own investigation
besides the official one'”; subheading inserted editorially:

The editor of Monitor magazine, Eynulla Fatullayev, cast light on some
points related to slain journalist Elmar Huseynov during yesterday’s
event held by the local media.

Monitor’s fate

[Fatullayev] First of all, I would like to ask journalists not to
ask Elmar’s father any questions. He is under stress. Some media go
on to distort his statements. Do not ask him questions for the sake
of Elmar’s memory. Understand his plight.

As for Monitor, the magazine will continue to come out, but under
a different name. We buried Monitor together with Elmar. However,
I am saying with full responsibility that Elmar’s colleagues will
continue his activity. All the staff of Monitor will work for the
new publication. Our stance will not be changed. We still believe
that a democratic state should be built in Azerbaijan. And we will
push ahead with our struggle in this area.

[Interviewer] Who will fund the new magazine?

[Fatullayev] Who funded Monitor? Its readers.

[Interviewer] Do you believe that by showing concern opposition
leaders are seeking to benefit from the situation?

[Fatullayev] Not at all. I agree that Monitor has never belonged
to the opposition. I would dare to say that this magazine laid the
foundation of Azerbaijan’s independent press. As to the political
leaders, they represent the part of the population who are protesting
against this barbarism.

[Interviewer] There are reports that Elmar Huseynov was about to get
a grant from the US embassy… [ellipses as published]

[Fatullayev] This is inaccurate information. The embassy can also
confirm that it is untrue. There was neither a grant nor an offer
from the US embassy. We were just planning to publish a Caucasus-wide
newspaper. We applied to the Eurasia Foundation in regard to this
project. The founders of the newspaper would have been Monitor
magazine, Georgia’s Rezonansi and Armenia’s Aravot newspapers. The
Eurasia Foundation asked those two publications to replace Monitor
with another Azerbaijani print media outlet. That is it. Monitor has
never received any grant throughout its publication.

[Interviewer] When will the last issue be published?

[Fatullayev] This Saturday. This will not be Monitor, since we
have already announced its closure. In 10 days we will make another
announcement about the new publication that will supersede Monitor.
The new magazine will be even fiercer than the previous one, because
we are angrier since the killing of our colleague.

[Interviewer] Who do you think ordered the murder of Elmar Huseynov?

[Fatullayev] The causes of Elmar’s killing lie in those whom Monitor
has been fighting. ANS TV believes that we have been fighting the
opposition, but the Azerbaijani public knows very well whom we are
fighting and whom we will fight. The fight has not stopped, it is
continuing. That is why we have launched our own investigation besides
the official one. We have announced the murderers of [Academician]
Ziya Bunyadov, [former investigation chief of Prosecutor General’s
Office] Rovsan Aliyev, [former vice-speaker] Afiyaddin Calilov and
[special presidential department chief] Samsi Rahimov. Will we not
find and announce the killers of our brother, Elmar Huseynov? They
do not have to worry, we will.