Akram Aylisli

Azerbaijan: Akram Aylisli threathened for novel about ‘88-‘94 war

International PEN reports that the acclaimed novelist Akram Aylisli (1937–) is seriously threatened because his most recent novel about the conflict (1988–1994) on the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh (an Armenian-populated enclave in Azerbaijan) provided a sympathetic view of Armenians in the conflict. He was accused of “distorting facts in Azerbaijani history and insulting the feelings of Azerbaijani people.” International PEN has launched a petition on behalf of novelist Akram Aylisli. The subject of a campaign of intimidation, Aylisli wrote a novel about the conflict on the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh (an Armenian-populated enclave in Azerbaijan) and provided a sympathetic view of Armenians in the conflict. He was accused of “distorting facts in Azerbaijani history and insulting the feelings of Azerbaijani people”.  The petition can be accessed for signature at http://www.ifex.org/azerbaijan/2013/02/20/akram_aylisli_petition/.

For more information, please contact Antoon De Baets, Network of Concerned Historians, at antoondebaets@concernedhistorians.org.