Pro-Government Militias
Emergencies Ministry paramilitary unit (Azerbaijan)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | yes |
| PGM ID Number: | 614 |
| Country: | Azerbaijan |
| Date formed: | June 4, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | Since the beginning of 2000s, paramilitary formations under the control of government agencies were formed. The Emergencies Ministry Paramilitary Guard was first mentioned in 2011. It is coded as a PGM from 2013 on, as evidence suggests that it was armed in that year. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | unclear |
| Former Rebel Group? | NA |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | unclear | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | no information |
| Primary Membership: | unclear |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics |
| Purpose(s): | intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | At the beginning, athletes, including masters of martial arts, were recruited for the PGM. Later, the focus lay on recruiting young men in great physical shape. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The purpose of this group is to eliminate protesters and then cover tracks before official armed forces are deployed. Authorities use the group for this purpose in order to protect themselves. There is no evidence whether the group fulfilled its purpose. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | deniability of violence |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | unclear |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members were recruited to participate in the group. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The PGM received UZI machine pistols from the Azerbaijani authorities in 2013. Members of paramilitary squads received training, but there is no concrete evidence if this applies also to this PGM or from whom exactly they received training. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The paramilitary unit belongs to the ministry of emergency services, which is led by Kamaladdin Heydarov. Heydarov was cited to be considered more powerful than the president himself. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.