BAKU AIRPORT SECURITY OFFICIALS ARRESTED ON TIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001112 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP MEGAN HALL, EUR/PGI JODY BUCKNEBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR KCRM KWMN AJ SUBJECT: BAKU AIRPORT SECURITY OFFICIALS ARRESTED ON TIP CHARGES Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION DONALD LU PER 1.4(B,D). ¶1. (SBU) On September 6, police arrested Head of Baku Airport Security Emil Suleymanov and an unconfirmed number of other airport officials on charges of facilitating trafficking in persons. According to press reports, an anonymous source said that Suleymanov helped traffickers transport victims abroad from Baku's Heydar Aliyev International Airport. Some media outlets reported that two airport security workers also were arrested. The airport officials' arrest is the first major action the GOAJ has taken to address government officials' alleged complicity in trafficking. ¶2. (C) While the Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) press office stated publicly that the reports of Suleymanov's arrest were not true, an employee of the State Civil Aviation Administration unofficially confirmed Suleymanov's dismissal and arrest, but did not know how many others had been arrested. He said that Suleymanov was known to have overstepped his authority with airport patrons, and was not on good terms with airport officials in other sections, including customs. Some Embassy contacts speculate that Suleymanov and other airport security officials are linked to the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security. Suleymanov has been one of a handful of accessible and generally helpful officials in the notoriously difficult airport administration. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Heydar Aliyev International Airport is under the tight control of Jahangir Alasgarov, head of AZAL and close confidante of President Aliyev. Rumors of customs abuses and other illegal activities at the airport abound, and Suleymanov's arrest likely signals a shake-up in Alasgarov's empire that will only become apparent over time. Regardless of any political maneuverings associated with Suleymanov's arrest, it is significant that the GOAJ for the first time has acknowledged any possible government role in the trafficking of persons. We will continue to monitor the situation and report developments. DERSE