“Ilham Aliyev [President of Azerbaijan] appointed his wife as first Vice President of Azerbaijan, and the son - to the post of a deputy minister. The move sparked a debate in the public. That was the reason he decided to enflame the situation across the Line of Contact [of the Nagorno Karabakh] to divert the public attention from the domestic problems,” Azerbaijani opposition journalist Shahin Mirzoyev said at a round table discussion, entitled “Xenophobia and its consequences from the human rights perspective” held in Yerevan.



To remind, Mirzoyev is a journalist at “Tolishi Sado” newspaper and received a temporary asylum in Armenia a month ago, following years-long persecution from the Azerbaijani leadership.



Asked to comment on the reason for the recent provocations by Azerbaijan at the Nagorno Karabakh Line of Contact, Mirzoyev said Azerbaijan faces certain social problems and when resentment reaches a peak the leadership makes use of war threats and launches provocations.



The opposition journalist, however, dismissed the possibility of a large-scale war to be initiated by Azerbaijan. In his conviction no matter how well the country is equipped with modern armament, the main ‘weapon’ of any leader remains his own people with Azerbaijani president having no backing of the Azerbaijani population.



Mirzoyev next said he feels well in Armenia, however, receives daily threats from Azerbaijan. “Threats are accompanying me from morning to evening. I receive them even from the country’s parliament. Certain parliamentarians have even suggested to introduce death penalty and sentence me to death. That is how they are trying to solve the Karabakh conflict,” noted Mirzoyev, adding his relatives face persecutions in Azerbaijan and receive constant threats.



Mirzoyev sees possibilities for the reconciliation between Armenian and Azerbaijani societies, insists reconciliation will not come unless the Aliyev regime is gone.