A Short Note on Corruption in Telecommunications in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has seen rapid growth in mobile telephony over the last decade as the result of competition between three players. However, the fastest growing operator is owned by the family of President Aliyev, through holding companies in Panama, proving another example of nepotistic telecommunications. The ownership of another operator is unknown. The state owns stakes in key operators, including the monopoly wholesale provider of Internet access and sole IXP. It also suppresses political activity on the Internet by making examples of anyone expressing opinions against the Aliyev regime. The lack of transparency of ownership in Azerbaijan facilitates concealed ownership by the Aliyev family and, perhaps, other leading families