Report on Rasul Guliyev’s arrival in Azerbaijan - UPDATED

18:04

President of AZAL aircompany Jahangir Askerov announced that today at 2:56 p.m. AZAL was contacted by Leasing Executive Airways asking permission for a charter flight from Simferopl to land at Heydar Aliyev Airport. “We sent an answer both to the air company and air controller service of Simferopol airport allowing the plane with Rasul Guliyev and his five family members to land at Baku international airport. The arrival was scheduled on 6:45 p.m. local time”, said Askerov.

However, Rasul Guliyev [who ordered the flight] and his family members refused to fly and the same company few hours later sent another letter canceling the flight.

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17:42

Flight Sifmeropl – Baku has landed but Rasul Guliyev was not on it. Day.Az contacted the flight operator in order to find out what has happened. Operator said that an hour prior to the departure from Simferopol Guliyev refused to board the plane.

When Day.Az correspondent tried to contact ex-speaker on the phone to confirm this information Guliyev replied that “he is unable to speak at the moment”.

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17:20

Sardar Jalalogly – deputy of the leader of the Democratic Party announces that the plane with ex-speaker on board is denied to make a landing at Heydar Aliyev Airport. Jalalogly says that regarding this matter Democratic Party of Azerbaijan has already notified foreign diplomatic missions and representatives of international human rights organizations.
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17:12

Rasul Guliyev in a telephone conversation with Day.az correspondent hinted that he is only an hour and a half away from Baku. He refused to name the location however added that in case the plane is allowed to land he will depart soon. However it is believed that Guliyev right now is on the territory of Ukraine.

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17:00

Plane making a special flight from Simferopol with Guliyev on board did not ask Azerbaijan ground services for landing permission yet. One of the possible variants how the situation will unfold is that after the ex-speaker lands he will be taken by a helicopter to Zabrat and from there by car will be driven to Baku.

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16:45

The information on Guliyev’s arrival differs from source to source. That is why below we list all of them:

First, plane with Guliyev on board was going to land in Tbilisi however Georgian authorities did not give their consent for this landing.

Second, Guliyev is flying on a special flight with 200 passengers on board from Simferopol to Baku.

At this moment at Baku airport is landing flight from Actau and at 5:45 p.m. there will be a flight from Kiev. No information that Guliyev will possibly be on board of one of these flights is available.

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15:57

Representative of Human Rights Watch on the South Caucasus Matilda Bobner tells that repressions may occur in Azerbaijan. “I am afraid that the circumstances will lead to a wave of repressions against the opposition”, she said while waiting at the entrance to the airport area. Bobner added that she will surely speak out and that a lot depends on what actions will be taken by diplomatic missions.

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15:40

Police turned away two cars carrying representatives of long-term observation mission of Bureau of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of OSCE. After short negotiations with police, delegations turned around and headed back to Baku. No comments for the press were made.

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15:28

Lawyers of Rasul Guliyev – Ismayil Hady and Mubariz Qaraev arrived at the airport. They were invited by the ministry of internal affairs to be present when Guliyev arrives there .

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13:47

Police discovered munitions hidden between trees in the area close to the airport highway. Plastic bag that they have found counted 15 flares, 2 hand grenades and cartridges.

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12:29

Highway leading from Baku to the airport is blocked by several police check points. Police stops cars and lets them pass only if a passenger has an air ticket. Press is not allowed to pass beyond the checkpoints. The same situation is with the roads connecting Baku with its villages like Mardakan, Buzovna, Bilga.

Day.Az