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After Ekrem Eylisli, the Azerbaijani author of the novel "Stone Dreams" which is about the massacre of Armenians, was deprived of all state awards on the agenda was put also the issue of depriving Armenian classical writer of, Alexander Shirvanzade of the title of “National Writer of Azerbaijan.”

Website AzNews.az, tried to find out the disposition of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia on this issue. Thus, the poet Ilyas Tapdig stated that there is no need to recall the past. “Azerbaijan has forgotten Alexander Shirvanzade and we should not remember him again. His work “Namus” was presented on the Azerbaijani stage for many years. He lived before us. There is no need to reanimate this topic now.

Another Azerbaijani poet Musa Yaqub said that at first they should reason why they deprive of the award the first Azerbaijani national writer Alexander Shirvanzade. “He is originally Armenian. You need to reason why and on which basis do you deprive him of the reward. Grigorian was awarded title of national writer as well. Let's not poke into this matter,” the Azerbaijani poet said.

Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan “Istiglal” (2002) and the order of “Shokhrat” for his outstanding merits in the literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine “Friendship of Nations” was published his novel titled “Stone Dreams” in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks positively about the Armenian people and their culture. The novel “Stone Dreams” also contains criticism over the former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev and the tyranny of the system created by him.

After publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe pressures in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally in front of his house, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan, MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and deport from Azerbaijan. Many people “blamed” Eylisli in his Armenian origin, etc. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev deprived him of personal pension and the title of National Writer, and accused him of “purposefully distorting the history of Azerbaijan” and “in distorting realities about history of Azerbaijan in an inappropriate way.”

The leader of the pro-governmental party ”Modern Musavat” Hafis Hajiyev announced that he would pay about 10 Euros to the one who will cut the ear of the writer. Only after the intervention of the media, the politician was “warned” by the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan about the illegality of such appeals.

The U.S. Department of State and the OSCE Office in Baku condemned persecution of Eylisli in Azerbaijan and called on the authorities to fulfill their obligations.