The Verdict

Today (nov 11 2009) sometime around 13.00 Baku time Adnan Hajizada (26) and Emin Milli (30) were sentenced to 2 and 2.6 years respectively. The hearing was held at an unusual hour (or more so changed deliberately so as to have small turnout) given until today all the hearings were held in late afternoon- in fact, the change in time was only announced yesterday and so many- including international observers- expected to be at the court at 15.00 not 10.30. Perhaps there was a reasoning behind that- I don't know... But it was indeed the final hearing as many supporters in Baku and elsewhere thought.

Today the government of Azerbaijan once again proved that it can do whatever it wants - all the evidence presented at the court was neglected. It showed that it doesn't care about what international organizations/institutions/individuals say/demand/ask/call upon - for the last four months international institutions appealed to the governmet to release activists. Today we saw that there is no justice - the final verdict is case in point.

Yes, we all were angered,frustrated, saddened and annoyed by the final sentence and I believe most of us still are. I knew nothing good was going to come out of this but having to witness all of this in real life was not easy.

But this is not an end, this is only the beginning. Don't forget "future is what we do know" and that "in order to change the society we must first change ourselves"!

Today at the end of the hearing, Emin said he is feeling proud and thats why he is ready to accept the verdict given to him. Though his speech was short, he called on the audience to use all means possible- internet (blogs, facebook, youtube); sms- to spread the reality of the situation in the country regarding freedom, justice and their case. Adnan, questioned how alleged witnesses will look into the eyes of their families- we will be done with our sentences but I wonder how they are going to live a life built on lies... He called on youth to continue changing themselves and working together for a better Azerbaijan. They both showed their strength to us, and so we must do the same in return!

*** 

For those who want to read more on the case/Emin/Adnan/Ol and AN see the following:

- follow #eminadnan on Tweeter;

- ol-az.blogspot.com

- http://www.youtube.com/user/olmedia

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL4IkKmPaes

- http://www.antv.ws/

JJ

About a little over a year ago, I was skyping a friend living and working in Baku. The topic of our discussion that day was finding a name for my blog you are currently reading. It took us a while but at the end, "flying carpets and broken pipelines" was created.

This friend's name is Jake Jones and currently he is the Country Director of International Republican Institute (IRI) in Baku. And so I would like to dedicate this post to Jake. 

We first met back in 2007 when I was just starting my work in Azerbaijan as an analyst and IRI was one of the first international organizations my colleague and I met during our first trips. Soon Jake and I developed a friendship which grew into a strong bond that I hope continues for a long time. 

About two weeks ago, I learned that IRI was shutting down its branch in Azerbaijan because of funding issues. Knowing how much importance Jake attached to his work in Azerbaijan, I instantly knew that he wasn't happy. But he wasn't alone. Days later, a Facebook page was opened to support IRI. The group now has 690 members- everyone who knows IRI, or worked with IRI or took part in their seminars is there, showing their support and calling USAID to keep the institution in the country. 

I have never met a person so interested in the region. He learned the language, traveled the country and gets on well with everyone. When Emin and Adnan were arrested, he was there to support and help in any way he could. When on May 10th half of our mutual friends were taken into a police station in front of our eyes, he was the first one to inform the embassy and make sure that there were representatives at the police station. All of this is only a small portion of what Jake and IRI has done in Azerbaijan, which also involves endless trainings and seminars held all over the country.

People come and go in Azerbaijan but rarely there are people who actually take their time and make a huge effort in learning the language, getting to know the culture, and blend with all the locals instead of keeping their distance. Jake is one of such people and his work as a Country Director at IRI is important and does make a difference in a country where there is a need for "know how" when it comes to everything and anything.  

So for what it is worth, at the end of the day it doesn't matter who you are- republican, democrat, leftist, socialist- what matters is how you present yourself and what you do because the rest are simply labels. IRI presented itself as an institution investing in the country and hoping to have made an impact (among other international institutions working in the country). It would be a loss for Azerbaijan to see IRI leave so please USAID (if anyone there is reading this blog) let them stay and do their job because they are worth it!

***

There seems to be a general misunderstanding that IRI didn't make any proposals for its next year activities in the country. It is NOT true, IRI DID propose. In fact there are local partners who can SUPPORT and JUSTIFY for this.

Time goes by...

Its been 4 months since Emin and Adnan's arrest- time goes by but somethings simply don't change. Its already November, boys were sentenced in July. There are less people in front of the court, but those who come still keep up positive atmosphere- they applause when both Emin and Adnan leave the court. Adnan and Emin smile seeing the support. 

No one is aware of the consequences and eventual outcome of these trials. Will they get a sentence or set free? I opt for the second but thats just me and possibly many other friends and supporters. 

Time goes by but some things don't change- Azerbaijan steadily descending into a world of limited freedom of speech, mass violations of human rights, authoritarianism and backwardness. International institutions as Freedom House and Human Rights Watch call the situation in Azerbaijan deteriorating. And it is clear why. In March 2009, President of Azerbaijani Republic, Ilham Aliyev manage to secure a presidency for "life" by scrapping two - term limit to presidency in a landslide Referendum. In addition to securing suspension of presidential elections if the country is at war.

4 months later, in June, the government tried to pass a series of critical amendments to the existing legislation on NGOs, seriously impeding their activities. The most controversial amendment, among a number of others was requirement that non- government organizations, limit their foreign funding to 50 percent, which would have led to basically half if not more NGOs based in Azerbaijan violate the new law. Luckily and I do mean luckily, the most critical amendments were left out. It was a victory for many civil society representatives given a rare moment of managing to win over the government.

But happiness and sense of victory slowly disappeared as in July, two youth activists- Emin Milli (30) and Adnan Hajizada (26) were arrested and charged with "hooliganism" and are now facing up to 5 year of imprisonment. They didn't do anything- they were attacked by two men who are now treated as "victims" and are set free while Emin and Adnan are spending their time behind bars. But they are keeping their chin up. In a recent Facebook post by Nigar Fatali, she said she managed to speak to Emin Milli who suggested reading a book on the life of Muhammed. They are reading, that is their way out to freedom. 

Ever since 2003, media in Azebraijan is ranked "non free" (see Freedom House report 2009). In Azerbaijan, it has become a popular exercise  to punish critical journalists with imprisonment, large fines, accusations of their involvement in terrorism, drug trafficking and what not. A number of critical newspaper journalists been arrested and the murder of Elmar Huseynov- editor- in- chief of popular opposition magazine Monitor - remains unresolved. He was brutally murdered in front of his apartment. Azerbaijan is the country with highest number of arrested journalists among OSCE member states. 

A journalists based in Baku working for a local newspaper sites an Azerbaijani proverb: “pisi gormesen, yaxshisinin deyerini bilmirsen” (if you haven’t seen the worse, you wont understand the value of good) saying that now they understand the difference between past and current president- then was a democracy compared to what is going today.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) rank Azerbaijan in their 2009 report 146 out of 175 in "Press Freedom Barometer" as well as including the President on the list of "media predators". The government exercises full control over the National Television and Radio Council (NTRC) even though according to one of the commitments it undertook while becoming member of the Council of Europe was granting full freedom and independence to the NTRC. 

In December of last year, the government or the NTRC (doesn't really matter here) banned foreign radio stations- BBC, VoA, RFE/RL- from broadcasting on local FM frequencies.

Looking back it makes one wonder will there ever be a change? Will people actually enjoy their lives rather than worry about making extra money to feed their families? Will our youth be able to study in corruption free universities and actually get a descent education? Will people be happy again? For now, there is only one answer, time will show so let it go by but be patient and hopefully we, or our children, or our grand children will see that change...

Hope

Tomorrow (27th October), Adnan and Emin are going to have another hearing. Its been almost two weeks since the last one and there is still hope that they will be released. At least I want to hope so! I want to see my friends free again. I want their parents to see their sons and be proud of them. I want all of us- his friends, be honored that we have friends as them. 

Emin and Adnan are facing a sentence but they are brave and are standing strong. I want all of us be like them. Strong and brave! And no matter what happens (as we all fear the worse) its going to be fine! Because things always get better and there is always some hope, and though very little it might be, it is there and we cannot lose it. 

***Emin Milli (30) and Adnan Hajizada (26) were arrested on July 8th in what has been staged incident and charged with hooliganism and are now facing up to 5 years of sentence. 

Life is strange- difference between writing about politics and emotions

Strange it is indeed... Usually, writing a post is simple, it is straight forward- there is a message I want to give, and I do it. But as I write this post I see that writing about politics is not the same as writing about feelings and emotions. 

Just moments go, I was out with my friends, having a good time and enjoying myself. Right now I feel shattered, lonely and broken- feelings that are so familiar to me and yet distant as I try to leave only good things in my memories and recycle all the bad. But it never works that way, it is never that simple. 

Life is not simple, relationships are not simple, friends are not simple, work is not simple, nothing is ever simple unless you really make it to be and in my mind the person who manages to make one's life so easy is a lucky person because this is not a quality everyone holds in possession. I see this ability as a gift, granted to some and kept from others. 

I have been betrayed and hurt many times in my life but somehow, I have managed to get back on my feet and move forward no matter how hard it has been and sometimes I get haunted by those memories- every once in a while I get stuck in the past, re-thinking over things and events, trying to understand what went wrong and that as I understand is not a wise thing to do. 

I don't know where I am going with this to be honest, but as I said in the begging of this post, it is so much easier to write about politics than it is about emotions. I guess, I should really stick to the former one...

Freedom has no boundaries

Yesterday (October 14th) friends across several cities around the world, celebrated one person's birthday. Emin Milli turned 30. And though right now, he is behind bars in some God forsaken detention facility in Azerbaijan, his friends and supporters all around, showed once again that freedom has no boundaries, nor does friendship.

London, Essex, Istanbul, Paris, Strasbourg, Baku, Moscow and New York were among those few cities where Emin's friends got together to raise their glasses to a one very bright young man. 

It was not so long ago (July 13th) when Adnan had his birthday. Also passed behind the bars but with a cake and food brought by his closest friends.

So, dear friends, I would like to raise a toast, to celebrate both Emin and Adnan's birthdays next year, once again together wherever we are, but this time united and stronger than ever! 

Making change happen- Blog Action Day!

As I write this post, I am only few hours away from Blog Action Day. I am going through a turbulence of emotions, hoping that my blog post as well as thousands of others are going to make a change in this world we live in. 

One may simply ask why? Why are you getting involved in something like thins? What is the point? Well, my answer will be simple- because I want to make a small contribution on my side to my future. I want to live in a safe and clean world, where my children will live as well. I want to leave something behind...

In Azerbaijan (where I am from) little is known about climate change and its impact on wider scale. Unfortunately, there aren't many policies dedicated to this issue. Many Azerbaijanis are unaware of recycling and its advantages, nor they are aware of using energy- saving light bulbs and etc. But I hope there will be in the future with more western educated young Azerbaijanis pushing for these kind of policies and changes in Azerbaijan. 

We must all be aware that given little policy initiative or no initiative at all, Azerbaijan just like many other countries will disappear from the surface of the earth (and yes, despite the fact that we have oil reserves and bla bla bla as our authorities like to say). 

But we must all take action- the government policies are not enough, every single person must take measures- start with simple things like separating papers, cans and glass disposal from main disposal. Yes, not everyone might be doing it, but you will (and I have started it myself) and that is a start. 

Lets make a change, unite on Blog Action Day 2009!