Another sham, another scandal

As I was just checking new tweets this evening, I came across yet another shocking piece of news from Azerbaijan: "Breaking: Security personnel at Baku airport surrounded Norwegian filmmaker Erling Borgen and his cameraman and confiscated all of his data- hard disks, memory sticks, photos, documents and other material related to his 6- day trip to Baku. He is making a film about arrested journalist Eynulla Fatullayev and fortunately have managed to transfer copies to Oslo already" (via Melissa Ys).

I then read the following tweet by @ljmaximus "#Azerbaijan gov't passed an important milestone- they have started to harass foreign journalists! Until now, only locals were repressed" (via Ali Novruzov).

By that time Ali, already had a post on the incident, adding another ironic news piece- current president presenting a 10- year- old boy with a laptop for his birthday. The irony is that the boy was born on the same day Azerbaijani government celebrates Flower Day- May 10th, which also coincides with late President's birthday.  

Several bloggers picked up the story and in a short period of time, Facebook had updates on the case. 

An article published on Radio Azadliq (in Azerbaijani) provides detailed account of the incident and what happened. The article writes that both Borgen and his cameraman were told that they had too much luggage. They had no choice but to check in their hand luggage while being assured that they are going to pick up their things already in Norway. However, when the luggage was picked up on the other side, journalist discovered that all the filming material of the last 6 days in Baku were deleted off his memory card. In addition, the decision of the Strasbourg court regarding Eynulla Fatullayev case also miraculously disappeared from his bag. Borgen notes that the security managed to also steal all his memory cards and photos. 

All of this is just so funny- as if the world is unaware of what is going on in Azerbaijan. As if by confiscating material things are going to get better? Or  that somethings could be prevented? If this is the case then I can only say this: WAKE UP! Don't forget, if its not this journalist, there will always be others. We no longer live in a stone age, we live in a time of information technology, Internet, new social media. 

Of course, with Azerbaijani government's new initiative on online control tools over the Internet, things might really start going backwards in this country. Especially when you hear someone like Farid Karimov who is the head of the pro- government Information Centre say something as stupid as that certain websites violate country's moral standards and are threat to younger generation (Read more here as Reporters Without Borders publish an update on the situation in the country).

Well, that is strange! Since when Azerbaijani government began caring for its youth? Since April 30th? When police was arresting "young generation" of this country? Or when police officers were pushing "young generation" on the ground? Or when Emin and Adnan got arrested? Or no, wait, perhaps, the younger generation became so important all of a sudden precisely because Azerbaijani government realized its potential as a source for alternative voices?

WAKE UP! is what I feel like saying! Its not possible to arrest everyone, to beat everyone, to threaten everyone. There are always going to be alternatives!