Azerbaijan Promises 'Kashen' Mine to Anglo-Asian Mining Company: Artak Beglaryan

The police brutality in the village of Soyudlu in Azerbaijan's Goygol region clearly illustrates the severity and depth of existing environmental, political, and social issues in Azerbaijan. This was stated by former Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, former Prime Minister Artak Beglaryan on his Telegram channel.

“In such acute and long-term environmental issues, where are the so-called ‘environmental’ terrorists who initiated the criminal blockade of Artsakh, disguised as ‘doves’ of environmentalism? The police, who crush exploited citizens, have harmoniously replaced the terrorists who have caused suffering for 120,000 people since April 28 in Shushi, continuing the chain of state terrorism. It is evident that for the Aliyev authoritarian regime, a person has no value, regardless of whether they are Armenian or Azerbaijani; what matters is the enslavement of people, the maintenance of power, and the accumulation of gold.”

“It is also essential to consider that the Goygol gold mine is exploited in this feudalistic manner by the same Anglo-Asian Mining Company, which last year was illegally promised by Azerbaijani authorities to ‘provide’ the copper mine of 'Kashen' in Artsakh, and this organization is one of the main perpetrators and supporters of the blockade of Artsakh. Can you imagine the level of environmental catastrophe this company has created there, that even in such a repressive country, a protest is being held? Meanwhile, the ‘high environmental standards’ they claim for the disputed 'Kashen' mine might seem like a dream for the oppressed Azerbaijani population.”

“Such a criminal regime and company wish to forcefully seize the homeland and natural resources of the Armenian people of Artsakh. By the way, I would like to remind you that Goygol was once an entirely Armenian and Armenian-inhabited area, which has gradually undergone ethnic cleansing and was appropriated by Azerbaijanis. I am confident that these criminals, who have set their sights on someone else's land and property, will face new surprises. I believe that one day, the criminal participation of the Aliyev clan in Anglo-Asian will be fully exposed. The well-known investigative organization OCCRP has already made some revelations regarding this, revealing in the famous ‘Panama Papers’ investigation that Aliyev’s daughters are the owners of this company,” Beglaryan wrote.