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Akram Aylisli

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Azerbaijani writer and politician

Akram Aylisli
BornAkram Najaf oglu Naibov
(1937-01-12) January 12, 1937 (age 87)
Aylis, Soviet Azerbaijan
NationalityAzerbaijani
Notable awardsPeople's Writer (Revoked)
SpouseGalina Aylisli
ChildrenIljas Naibov, Najaf Naibov

Akram Najaf oglu Naibov (Azerbaijani: Əkrəm Nəcəf oğlu Naibov, born December 6, 1937), better known by his pen name Akram Aylisli, is an Azerbaijani writer, playwright, novelist and former member of parliament. His works have been translated from his native Azerbaijani into a number of languages in the former Soviet Union and around the world. He was decorated by the President of Azerbaijan with the prestigious "Istiglal" (2002) and "Shokhrat" orders. In 2013, after the publication of Aylisli's Stone Dreams novella, which depicted the pogroms carried out by Azerbaijanis against the Armenians in Sumgait and Baku and presented Armenians in sympathetic light, President Aliyev signed a presidential decree that stripped Aylisli of the title of "People's Writer" and the presidential pension. His books were burnt by Azerbaijani intelligentsia and compatriots in his hometown, his son and wife were fired from their jobs and a "bounty" of some $13,000 was promised for cutting the writer's ear off. In March 2014, a formal request was made by various public figures throughout the world to nominate Aylisli for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Biography

Aylisli was born in the village of Aylis in 1937 in the Ordubad region of the Nakhchivan, part of Soviet Azerbaijan, near the borders of Armenia and Iran. His mother, Leya Ali Kyzy, was the village storyteller, his father died at WWII when Akram was five. His youth in the Soviet Union coincided with one of its more liberal periods: the years of de-Stalinization and the 'Thaw' under the flamboyant leadership of Nikita Khrushchev. Aylisli received his graduate education at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow, the elite school of creative writing for Soviet writers.

His first work, a poem entitled "Qeşem ve onun Kürekeni", was published in the journal Azerbaycan. During Soviet times Aylisli was a poet, translator, and playwright, and he authored a number of novels: "Trees without Shade", "Shining of the six suns", "The season of colorful dresses", "The white canyon", "The dam", "Peoples and Trees" and others. Most of Aylisli's works are associated with this native village. Aylisli's stories and novels, so subtle and full of affection for peasant life, are very popular in Azerbaijan and Soviet Union. His novel "Peoples and Trees" have been translated into more than thirty languages and published beyond Soviet borders in the countries of Eastern Europe. Сonceptually and personally Aylisli was close to the Russian "Village Prose" movement.

Aylisli was also the author of a number of dramas and plays, including "Quşu Uçan Budaqlar", "Menim Neğmekar Bibim", "Bağdada Putyovka Var", and "Vezife", which were staged and shown in theaters in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, and Yerevan. Moreover, Aylisli worked as a translator. He translated into Azeri the books by Gabriel García Márquez, Heinrich Böll, Ivan Turgenev, Konstantin Paustovsky, Vladimir Korolenko, Anton Chekhov, Vasily Shukshin, Chinghiz Aitmatov, Salman Rushdie.

From 1968 to 1970, he became the editor-in-chief of "Gençlik", and later worked as a satirist for the journal Mozalan. From 1974 to 1978, he served on the Azerbaijan SSR's State Committee for Cinematography.

Aylisli was awarded the title of "People's Writer" as well as the highest state awards of Azerbaijan – the medals of "Shokhrat" ("Honor") and "Istiglal" ("Independence"). In November 2005, he was elected to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan (Milli Majlis) as a member of parliament representing his constituency in Julfa-Ordubad. He served for one term, which ended on November 7, 2010.

Aylisli generally is supportive of left wing views. His works published in the Soviet Union did not conform to socialist realism, than some other writers of the Azerbaijan SSR at that time, and he spoke negatively about the Soviet era for a while in 1990s. In one of his recent interviews broadcast on television channel ANS TV he stated that he believes that Karl Marx was a genius, and the world will come to his ideas sooner or later.

Stone Dreams controversy

In late 2012 and early 2013, Aylisli found himself embroiled in controversy when his novella, Daş yuxular (Stone Dreams), was published in a Russian-language journal called Druzhba Narodov (Friendship of the Peoples). It covers the pogroms of Armenians in Baku in 1989 and the massacre of Armenians in his native village by Turkish troops in 1919. The scenes of the recent past and the tales of old people about the Armenian massacre intertwined in the novel. The original book was written in 2006 in Azerbaijani language but the author postponed the publication because he did not like the translation into Russian, which later performed by himself. The Original book in Azerbaijani has never been published ever since.

Plot

The novel tells the story of the Azerbaijani actor Saday Sadykhly and his efforts to protect his Armenian neighbors during the Sumgait and Baku Pogroms in the closing years of the Soviet Union. The novel begins as the severely beaten Sadykhly is being transported to the hospital: while trying to protect his Armenian neighbor he was also assaulted by the yeraz on the streets of Baku, who mistook him too for an Armenian.

There are four main characters in the novel. Sadai Sadykhly, his friend Nunavrish Karabahly, also an actor, Sadykhly's father in law Professor of psychiatry, Dr. Abbasaliev and a surgeon in the hospital where Sadykhly was taken right after assault Dr. Farid Farzaneh. Although it looks like that Sadykhly was recovering at the beginning, by the end his body couldn't sustain the physical injuries or the nervous pressure, and so he died.

Accusations

If a single candle were lighted for every murdered Armenian, the light from these candles would be brighter than that of the moon

— The Stone Dreams

Many in Azerbaijan took offense to Aylisli's sympathetic portrayal of Armenians, with whom they fought and lost a six-year-long conflict over control of the region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s. The novella stirred resentment by depicting only the Azerbaijani brutality against Armenians during the conflict, while never mentioning incidents of alleged Armenian violence against Azerbaijanis such as the Khojaly massacre.

There are some other controversial aspects to the novel. Shortly after the pogroms in Sumgait at the beginning of March 1988 Sadyghly wants "to go to Echmiadzin in order to convert to Christianity with the blessing of the Armenian Catholicos, stay forever as a monk begging God to forgive Muslims for all the evils which they committed against Armenians." This element to the novel is likely to be deeply frustrating for many Azerbaijani readers, considering the ambiguous role played by the Armenian Catholicos in the events of the late 1980s. Vazgen I did not act to protect the Azerbaijani population of Armenia or to prevent their expulsion, becoming an unpopular figure in Azerbaijan and his name a derogatory one.

Another sensitive taboo seemingly questioned by Aylisli is the significance of circumcision—a ritual sacred to every practicing Muslim. Dr. Farzani, who is married to a Russian woman, wants to have their son circumcised. But his wife asks Farzani whether the Prophet is wiser than God. Ultimately, their son comes to see circumcision as an act of violence on his body, and this reaction eventually breaks Farzani's family apart. Such a controversial portrayal of a concept as sacred as circumcision is likely to prove very irritating for some Azerbaijani readers.

Harassment campaign

Soon after Stone Dreams was published, the honored writer became an enemy of the state. Mass media launched a wide-scale bullying campaign.

Let them burn all my books because they have not saved anyone...

— Akram Aylisli

In Baku, Ganja, and in the writer's native village, rallies were organized where people cried out slogans such as "Death to Akram Aylisli!", "Traitor!", "Why have you sold yourself out to the Armenians?", "Akram is Armenian!", and they set his books and portraits on fire. Youth Organization of Refugees from Nagorno Karabakh announced their and other NGOs dealing with the affairs of veterans, refugees and IDPs' intention to take legal action against Aylisli.

On February 7, 2013, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a presidential decree that stripped Aylisli of his title "People's Writer" and the personal pension that went with it.

Ali Hasanov, Head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration's Social and Political Department, denounced him for purportedly having no national spirit or sense of humanity, for disrespecting the memory of those who died during the war, and for posing as a defender of human values. He added that Aylisli represents Armenian youth who killed thousands of Azerbaijanis, and took control over Azerbaijani lands and committed the massacre in Khojaly, but that he represents Azerbaijanis as murderers and weak personalities. He further added that as Azerbaijanis they "must express public hatred towards these people."

If I were Armenian, everybody would have already known about that. And I would not be ashamed of that!

— Akram Aylisli

Parliamentarians of the National Assembly during the special session required to deprive Aylisli of all state awards, and his Azerbaijani citizenship and insisted that he move to Armenia. Parliamentarians commented that the novella "insulted not only Azerbaijanis, but the whole Turkish nation," on account of references to the Ottoman Empire's historical persecution of Armenians. They suggested that Aylisli have DNA tested to determine if he was genetically ethnic Armenian. The Chairmen of the National Assembly Ogtay Asadov stated "There is something suspicious in the blood of everybody who supports Aylisli".

The Ministry of Education withdrew his works from the school curriculum. Aylisli's plays were banned from theaters. A lot of Azerbaijani writers, artists and academics repudiated him. Union of Azerbaijani Writers convened a meeting and expelled Aylisli from its membership.

Aylisili's wife and son were fired from their jobs.

The chairman of Caucasian Muslim Board, Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazadeh, branded him an apostate.

Hafiz Haciyev, leader of the pro-government political party Muasir Musavat (Modern Equality), said his party would pay $13,000 to anyone who would cut Aylisli's ear off. After coming under strong pressure from foreign embassies and U.S. Department of State on the Azerbaijani government, the Ministry of Interior forced Muasir Musavat to rescind the reward.

Author's reaction

Responding to the critics accusing him of being partial, the writer has said: "If I had any doubt that I had disgraced my people that would break me. But they think that when I say two good words about some Armenian I must say three good ones about an Azerbaijani. But it's not my business to keep that foolish balance! In my story I depict a character and his perception of reality. His mind is very fragile; he's on the brink of insanity." Aylisli defended himself in an interview, commenting that "Armenians are not enemies for me....How can they be? I am a writer living in the 21st century. A solution to Nagorno-Karabakh is being delayed, and hostility is growing between the two nations. I want to contribute to a peaceful solution." In answer to accusation of betrayal Aylisli claimed that he is not a patriot: Where have you seen a writer as a patriot? He must write everything his mind and reason tell him to."

Support

On February 3 a group of young independent intellectuals organized a small demonstration near the monument of Mirza Alakbar Sabir to support Akram Aylisli. A number of Azerbaijani writers and intellectuals, including famous writer and screenwriter Rustam Ibragimbekov, also spoke out in defence of Aylisli. Leyla Yunus, a leading Azerbaijani human right activist, claimed that "Only Aylisli defends the honor and the dignity of our nation after the story of Ramil Safarov". Ragıp Zarakolu, a leading Turkish human right activist and publisher who is well known for facing legal harassment for a long time for publishing books about the Armenian genocide, also supported Aylisli.

Human Rights Watch, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly and the Institute for the Protection of Media Rights struсk a blow for Aylisli. Human Rights Watch (HRW) voiced its concern for Aylisli's physical safety and called for Azerbaijan's "government to end hostile campaign of intimidation." "The government of Azerbaijan is making a mockery of its international obligations on freedom of expression," remarked HRW's Europe and Central Asia director Hugh Williamson.

The chairman of Armenia's Union of Writers, Levon Ananyan, offered a formal response to the controversy on February 8, saying, "Kudos to our Azerbaijani colleague! He is that brave man who blazes the trail, the trail that leads to repentance through truth." Ananyan added that "Not only Armenians, but also Russians, all people that are concerned about the future of the country...should share this braveness."

The Russian PEN center and a number of Russian famous writers such as Boris Akunin, Andrei Bitov, Viktor Erofeev, Sergey Kaledin and Lev Anninsky also declared their support to Ayilisli.

In February 2014, a formal request was made by various public figures throughout the world to nominate Aylisli for the Nobel Peace Prize - "For courage shown in his efforts to reconcile Azerbaijani and Armenian people". Among the nominators were social science professors and university presidents such as Craig Calhoun and Immanuel Wallerstein from the US, and Theodor Shanin from the UK. They noted that Akram Aylisli was probably the first Turkic author who wrote a book of penitence for the Armenian genocide. "Aylisli was the first to express that pain in a literary work which is very personal, deep and hard-won. <...> Mr Aylisli's actions are important not only for Armenians and Azerbaijanis, but for others all across the former Soviet Union, who have been blinded by ethnic hatred. His example in fact transcends location, ethnicity or political persuasion. His lone resistance, his defiance, his willingness to sacrifice all for the sake of truth, is an encouragement to each of us to be brave. <...> Mr Aylisli is one of those rare people such as Martin Luther King and Andrey Sakharov, whose personal courage and moral impulse can change a nation's fate and destroy the walls dividing nations."

Works

  • Gilas ağacı . Baku: Uşaqgəncnəşr, 1961, 47 pages.
  • Dağlara çən düşəndə . Baku: Azərnəşr, 1963, 56 pages.
  • Atalar və atasızlar . Baku: Azərnəşr, 1965, 121 pages.
  • Mənim nəğməkar bibim . Baku: Azərnəşr, 1968
  • Adamlar və ağaclar . Baku: Gənclik, 1970, 247 pages.
  • Kür qırağının meşələri . Baku: Gənclik, 1971, 50 pages.
  • Ürək yaman şeydir . Baku: Gənclik, 1973, 152 pages.
  • Bu kənddən bir qatar keçdi . Baku: Azərnəşr, 1977, 267 pages.
  • Gilənar çiçəyinin dedikləri . Baku: Yazıçı, 1983, 438 pages.
  • Adamlar və ağaclar . Baku: Gənclik, 1985, 320 pages.
  • Ədəbiyyat yanğısı . Baku: Yazıçı, 1989.
  • Seçilmiş əsərləri (iki cilddə) . 1st vol. Baku: Azərnəşr, 1987, 497 pages.
  • Seçilmiş əsərləri (iki cilddə) . 2nd vol. Baku: Azərnəşr, 1987, 416 pages.
  • Möhtəşəm tıxac (novel)
  • Daş yuxular (novel)

Notes

  1. ^ (in Azerbaijani) "Üçüncü çağırış Azərbaycan Respublikası Milli Məclisinin deputatları haqqında seçildikləri tarixə olan qısa MƏLUMATLAR." Meclis.gov.az.
  2. ^ (in Turkish) "Akram Aylisli," in Azerbaycan XX.yy Yakın Dönem Türk Edebiyatı. Accessed February 2, 2013.
  3. ^ (in Turkish) "Azeri yazarın ezber bozan Ermeni çıkışı." Enson Haber. February 4, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  4. "Azerbaijani President signs orders to deprive Akram Aylisli of presidential pension and honorary title Archived March 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine." Trend.az. February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  5. "'Stone Dreams' breaks stereotypes between Azeris, Armenians". Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  6. ^ "Bring me the ear of Akram Aylisli! Politician offers £8,000 for attack on writer." The Independent. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  7. ^ "Request made to nominate Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli for Nobel Peace Prize". Azeri-Press Agency (APA). March 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  8. "Intellectuals by Mammad Suleymanov". Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  9. Azerbaijani novelist vilified for his call for reconciliation
  10. ^ Sindelar, Daisy. "In Azerbaijan, Anger at an Author, But Not Necessarily at His Argument". RFE/RL. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  11. ^ The Stone Dreams scandal: the Nagorny Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations in contemporary literature Archived January 29, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. http://www.caucasus-survey.org/ Archived August 4, 2020, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. "Будь стоек, Акрам!". Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)"Журнал "Дружба народов"". Archived from the original on December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2014..
  13. Sultanova, Aida and Peter Leonard. "Azerbaijani writer punished for pitying Armenians." Businessweek. February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  14. ^ Sultanova, Shahla, "Novella's Sympathetic Portrayal of Armenians Causes Uproar in Azerbaijan". The New York Times. February 1, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  15. "A group of NGOs to sue Akram Aylisli" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. APA. February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  16. Распоряжение Президента Азербайджанской Республики о лишении Акрама Айлисли (Акрама Наджаф оглу Наибова) персональной пенсии Президента Азербайджанской Республики. Официальный сайт Президента Азербайджанской Республики
  17. "Top Official: Writer Akram Aylisli disrespects memory of thousands of martyrs Archived February 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine." Trend.az. February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  18. Несогласных похороним http://haqqin.az
  19. В Азербайджане устроили травлю писателя, осудившего армянские погромы. Бакинские политики требуют проверить его «генетический код» // NewDayNews.Ru. 06.02.13
  20. В Азербайджане изымают из школьных учебников произведения опального писателя // Росбалт, 20/02/2013
  21. ""Каменные сны" продолжают будоражить азербайджанское общество". Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  22. Книга «Каменные сны» унижает азербайджанский народ — Махмуд Керимов // 1news.az. 06.02.2013
  23. "Чингиз Абдуллаев ОТКРЫТОЕ ПИСЬМО БОРИСУ АКУНИНУ". Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  24. Рахман Гаджиев "Прекрасные элои" и "каннибалы-морлоки" Акрама Айлисли...
  25. Габиль Алиев: «Акрам Айлисли — предатель родины» // Day.az. 8.2.2013
  26. Акиф Меликов: «Мне как азербайджанцу протест против романа „Каменные сны“ понятен и вполне естественен» // 1news.az. 08.02.2013
  27. Рустам Шахсуваров. «Каменные сны» продолжают будоражить азербайджанское общество. Archived December 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Кавказская политика, 09.02.2013
  28. Акрам Айлисли исключён из Союза Писателей, в котором не состоял // ann.az. 8.02.2013
  29. "Akram Aylisli: I will not leave the country! Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Contact.az. February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  30. Жители Айлиса: «Смерть Акраму Айлисли» // haqqin.az. 9.2.2013
  31. Духовенство Азербайджана призвало лишить Акрама Айлисли всех наград Archived December 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine // 1news.az. 13.02.2013
  32. ""Современный Мусават" объявил награду за ухо писателя Айлисли (Азербайджан)". Archived from the original on February 14, 2013.
  33. "H. HACIYEV: ƏKRƏM ƏYLİSLİNİN QULAĞINI KƏSMƏKLƏ ONU ÖLÜMDƏN QURTARACAĞIQ". Archived from the original on April 18, 2013.
  34. Хафиз Гаджиев не получал официального предупреждения от МВД Archived December 13, 2014, at the Wayback Machine // Зеркало. 15 Фев 2013
  35. It is like being pregnant all your life... Archived December 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. 12.11.2013.
  36. "Акрам Айлисли: Я не патриот Азербайджана (Обновлено)."
  37. Лейла Юнус: «Акрам Айлисли рассказал правду» // haqqin.az. 9.2.2013
  38. Ragıp Zarakolu, Ekrem Eylisli ile dayanışma için toplantı düzenliyor // agos.com.tr 12.02.2013
  39. "Azerbaijan: Stop Harassing Writer." Human Rights Watch. February 12, 2013. Accessed February 13, 2013.
  40. "Русский ПЕН-центр против преследований писателя Айлисли". BBC. February 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  41. Акрама Айлисли предлагают в качестве кандидата на Нобелевскую премию мира
  42. "Akram Aylisli - for courage shown in his efforts to reconcile Azerbaijani and Armenian people". Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  43. Sergey Abashin explains reason for Aylisli's nomination for the Nobel Prize

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