Rustam Ibragimbekov. Keep away from my country

Screenwriter of the legendary movies The White Sun of the Desert (Beloe Solntse Pustyni) and Burnt By The Sun (Utomlyonnye Solntsem) fights against dictatorship.

Rustam Ibragimbekov has gained world popularity with his movies The White Sun of the Desert, Burnt By The Sun, Territory Of Love (Urga), The Barber Of Siberia (Sibirskiy tsiryulnik) and other. Having created real masterpieces, the idol of millions isn’t resting on his oars. Instead, he decided to write a new script, political this time, for his nation.

Today Ibragimbekov is the unified candidate of democratic forces in the presidential elections of Azerbaijan. On August 18, 2013 he gave an interview to editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radzina.

- Rustam Mamedovich, first of all let me thank you. As millions of other people, I was raised by your movies. What made you, a 74-year old, go into politics and become a presidential candidate?

- I am a politician not by choice. A couple of years ago we and some bright poets, writers and scientists established a Forum of Intelligentsia where we tried to set a foundation for the civil society in Azerbaijan and create at least some sort of public opinion. Soon we had several hundreds of members. We discussed the most important problems of the society, from education to corruption. We tried to start a dialog with the powers, but unfortunately all we got in reply was label, prosecution, dismissals, and criminal cases.

This lasted for three years. Actually, I was never involved in politics, I always believed that the truth is in my work, that this is how I fulfill my obligation as a citizen. In the Soviet times, I wasn’t a communist, nor was I a dissident, of course. I just tried not to notice politics. But then it caught my eye that for the last 20 years our opposition has been completely divided. Relations between the political parties are very complicated, and since all Azerbaijani elections after 1993, from municipal to presidential, have been falsified, I made an attempt to unite our democratic opposition. And surprisingly enough, I succeeded, just because I am equally distant from all parties.

As a result, we established the National Council. It happened for about two months ago. But as they say, initiative is punishable, and I was elected the chairperson of the Council, although I said that I wasn’t fit for the job. I was told then that if I didn’t take it, the National Council would not last.

A month later, with the date of the next presidential elections getting closer, we began to look for a unified candidate from democratic forces, and once again, I was picked. This time I showed even more resistance, but again, was told that I am the only candidate that can pacify all parties and that everyone can accept. I had to agree, but I am a very vulnerable candidate because of my second Russian citizenship.

Today everything depends on whether I will be able to solve this problem. I applied to annul my Russian citizenship in a letter to Vladimir Putin. Now I wait. If it doesn’t happen, I don’t think I can be registered as a presidential candidate in Azerbaijan, although there is no law that would prohibit me to be a candidate. A presidential candidate cannot have a double citizenship, but I don’t have it, because a double citizenship applies only when the two states have certain agreements on the matter.

So, basically, this is irrelevant, but not for the powers. They have launched a criminal case against me, put some of my close friends to prison, and now they accuse me of a coup attempt and God only knows what else. They will definitely do their best not to register me as a candidate.

- This sounds familiar. Is it what the pre-elections Azerbaijan look like?

- Yes, the situation is abominable. For example, an initiative group suggested me as a candidate, which means that we need a registration at the municipality. The municipality didn’t send a representative of their own, and when we came there they tore the protocol and threw it in a paper bin.

I consulted with several people about the electoral legislation. As a result, one of them was arrested after weapons had been planted in his home and summer house. Then they said that he was a member of the “terrorist wing of the National Council”. Now this person is waiting for a trial.

I have recently met a former head of the Administration of presidential affairs of Heydar Aliyev’s office. I gave him a ride to the Kievski station, and some days later this person was arrested and a case is being prepared – apparently for some golden coins. People get things hidden in their homes all the time.

It is nearly impossible to travel to other regions of Azerbaijan. There, the powers organize civil riots, as they call it, which are in fact gatherings of policemen in civilian. They won’t let party members enter their own offices; they don’t leave us any chance to get together. For example, today (the conversation took place on August 18 – ed.note) a so-called authorized meeting is taking place in the outskirts of the city in a very inconvenient location with poor logistics. And to make it impossible to get there, the powers cancelled all city busses on this route today.

The pre-election environment is horrible. I can see where this completely inadequate fear comes from: the powers control vast amounts of money, punitive structures, and the entire administrative segment. Nevertheless, their fear is mortal. They do all they can not to register me, and now they threat to put me behind the bars.

- Do you know the outcome of the presidential election 2010 in Belarus? Nearly all independent presidential candidates were arrested and sentenced to long terms in prison. Is it a possible scenario in Azerbaijan?

- Yes, it is. People from my circles are charged with groove crimes. I am advised to settle down and keep away from Azerbaijan, because if I come, everyone will get long prison terms. And so will I, that is why I won’t go to Azerbaijan now. Nothing will stop them. I wait for the paperwork to be done to get my registration, then I’ll have at least some guarantee of my safety. I believe that Ilham Aliyev has excellent contacts with Mr Lukashenka, and that they share experience on a regular basis.

- What is the point of taking part in the elections if the dictator is one of the candidates? Obviously, there will be falsifications.

- This is the first time in 20 years that a unified candidate from democratic forces will take part in the elections. The nation is in a completely different state now. I think that we have managed to loosen the situation. Previously, there was some kind of division: there were the powers and nearly professional opposition, and the rest observed their fight. A couple of years ago our large group of intelligentsia joined the opposition. The opposition got a second breath and the people got hope.

People ask me if there is a point, if I can win. And I believe that my friends and I have already won because we protested against this regime and are consequent in our struggle. A rather open public opinion is being formed, the people are permanently discontent, but still there is this animalistic fear because people go to prison for nothing.

The situation in Azerbaijan is obviously not as severe as in Belarus, but nevertheless, people who are politically active, their families and friends lose jobs. And so it is crucial that we finally succeeded in breaking the silence of the nation. People started to talk not only in the kitchens, but in public. The young people are very active, and it is very important to keep up our work.

We know that the chance to win is great, but we do understand that there will be falsifications. But any fraud will be disclosed, and we will continue if we manage to get a substantial number of votes. Elections don’t decide everything.

- I often read Azerbaijani news and couldn’t help noticing that many information resources are controlled by the special services. And these media constantly impose that a screenwriter, however genius, cannot be a politician. Is it a must, to be a “professional politician”, particularly in a dictatorship?

- Of course not. The so-called professional politicians from the powers have become professional businessmen and nation-wide thieves. They are useless politicians on a pretty low intellectual level.

I always speak my mind and my forecasts are based on what I feel. In this sense I am definitely not a skillful politician, and God forbid, I hope I will never fall that low. I am ready to act when simple honesty and ability to speak the truth are needed.

- For these elections, the Azerbaijani opposition’s strategy is choosing a unified candidate. But the number of presidential candidates has already reached 12. Was there a point in a unified candidate, especially given that the opposition in the National Council disagrees on so many issues?

- There is absolute unity in the National Council of opposition. The problem is that they may refuse to register me as a unified candidate. And hence, there is an uncertainty around further strategy. I suggest that we should keep me as a unified candidate and fight to obtain registration, while choosing one more candidate from our team. I won’t disclose this person’s name now not to endanger them. And when this person is registered, and in case I’m not, the National Council will set them as the unified candidate. And we will fight for this candidate all together. Some think that the country should find out the name of this person today, but I am convinced that several people should apply.

Firstly, thus we will avoid the talks about how we lost a good opportunity. Today there are people who claim I am a “Kremlin project”. I just smiled at them and tried to explain that it is not true, but they keep on saying that. Suddenly, the Russian president arrived to Azerbaijan, and this visit was interpreted as support of candidate Aliyev. Now they say that apparently nobody supports me in Russia and that this whole thing is very naïve. How can I be a real politician if I don’t have support from Russia, who plays such an influential role? The state-owned media controlled by the country’s leadership discuss these two topics.

I don’t want people to say: they sacrificed everything to make Ibragimbekov the unified candidate, but as a result no one else could become a candidate and we lost the elections. That is why I suggest 5-6 candidates who possess real authority and moral right to claim the post, but we will support only one on them. Maybe we’ll use other term than “unified candidate”, maybe it’ll be “principle candidate”, but later, after the registration.

We are using a little strategic trick that many people don’t get. Clarity is what’s needed in this rather simple situation.

- After the Belarusian elections of 2010, many politicians, public figures and journalists had to emigrate. You’ve been living in Moscow for a long time, and today you cannot come to Baku because you can be arrested. Is it possible to work as a politician from abroad?

- Of course, it is. Political activity depends not only on those who steer the process, but mainly on the people, on their inner condition and will.

This is the first time in my life when I am not the screenwriter. The people write the script, I am just one of the characters. There will be changes in Azerbaijan, because the majority of people are not happy with what’s going on. The people cannot put up with stealing, total corruption, hideous breaches of every right, including the right to private property.

Let me tell you a secret. We founded the Forum of Intelligentsia to avoid the blast. In Azerbaijan’s geopolitical situation, a blast can have most devastating consequences, because as soon as these processes become unmanageable, all possible radical forces can take over control. I don’t want to mention who they are, but they are widely known.

During my meetings in Russia, USA and Europe, I constantly emphasize this point. The ruling powers claim they stand for stability, and our reply is: are elections a de-stability? This is exactly what we suggest – to change the situation with help of the elections, while you persist in your bogus fight for stability thus leading the country into unmanageable processes. These processes will only throw our nation decades back, what has already happened in many countries of the Middle East.

- What are your relations with the Russian leadership, given that Moscow supports totalitarian regimes of the post-soviet area?

- It may seem ridiculous, but I have no relations with Russia’s leadership whatsoever. I have a wide social circle in different spheres, but mostly in science and culture. They support me, pity for me and watch with sympathy. I don’t have many acquaintances from politics.

Soon we’ll find out what they think of me, because the Russian president has received my application of annulment of the Russian citizenship. This procedure is very slow and usually takes months. Putin has to make an exceptional decision, just like in case with the citizenship of French actor Gerard Depardieu. Of course, I cannot demand anything, I can only ask for an exception.

- A new union of dictatorships has recently appeared on the post-soviet territory: same people have been ruling in Belarus, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for many years, and today these people keep their power with weapons. However, when the USSR collapsed, all our nations could hope for a democratic future. Why did that happen?

- You know, democracy cannot be produced. The people must be ready for it. In all countries – in those that you’ve mentioned and many others – there are people who can do anything for power. And since the society is not ready for a legitimate resistance, they succeed. As a result, they win and become dictators.

But personally, I cannot compare the regime in Kazakhstan with any other regime. There the situation is much softer, it is easier to breathe. Same attribute, but mostly different quality.

- What politics should the West apply to the violent regimes of Lukashenka and Aliyev?

- Unfortunately, the West exists in two qualities. On the one hand, it consists of separate states, on the other, these states unite in the European Union. And when they act as separate states, I’m afraid they put their interests first. When they act as the European Union, they are more democratic, more liberated from their own interests, and their actions are more decisive and disapproving. The states that depend on Azerbaijani energy choose not to notice many things.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani regime spends tons of money on creating a pleasant image for these European structures (the same goes for Russian and American structures). A huge number of lobbying organizations work hard. But the most important thing is that the dictatorships have learnt to create an appearance, a democratic façade.

They keep the opposition only as a decoration. It has lost all its power and opportunities, but the powers try to maintain an illusion of the opposition’s existence.

- And now to my final question. My favorite scene in the movie Burnt By The Sun is the conversation between Kotov and Mitia during a football game one hour before the arrest of the general. Everything there, the excuses of the NKVD agent, and Mitia’s reply to Kotov’s question “Who dares touch me, the hero of the revolution, the legendary commander of division?”, is not only the reality of Stalin’s times, but the present day in Belarus. How did you write this scene?

- You know, we all are children of war, more or less. Nikita Mikhalkov was born right after the war, I was born right before it. We survived the harsh 1940s when my closest relatives went to prison under all kinds of charges. I remember the fear that reined in the family.

All of that was and still is alive; it was written with a full understanding and perception of time. Maybe that’s why this scene has such a strong emotional effect on us.