Protests, rallies, investigations- you name it, chronology of Azerbaijan's internal storm

Chronology of protests and other events sharking up the country

January 11 

• Sumgayt (Sumgayit district) Population 314,800 

January 12

• Liman (city in Lankaran district) Approximately 14,000 people in the city out of total 209,900 
• Siazan (Siazan district) Population 38,400 (police keeping "things under control" watch video here)
• Aghcabedi (Aghjabadi district) Population 124,000

January 13 

• Agsu (Agsu district) Population 72,100 
• Fizuli (Fizuli district) Population 118,900  
• Ujar (Ujar district) Population 79,800

January 14

Fearing the spill off, the government sends in troops to Sheki and Quba. In Sheki, Popular Front Party members are detained.

The 18% tax on wheat and bread cancelled.

January 15

• Quba (Quba district) Population 155,600 All entrance and exits into the city are controlled by the police while people’s demands remain the same- jobs, prices and living conditions (watch video here - people are chanting "istefa" [Resign]).  
• Zobcuq settlement (Fizuli district) 

January 16 

• Aghcabedi 
• Fizuli (can watch video sent by Fizuli resident here)

January 17 

• Hovsan settlement in Baku

January 18

• Employees at Bina shopping center didn't show up at work today [January 18] demanding drop in rents leaving the mall management without any customers.  
• Jalilabad (Jalilabad district) Population 196,500 
• Shaghaci village (Astara district)   

January 20 

• In Ganja, online activists called into questioning as of January 17. According to AzadliqRadiosu, activists are told not to call for any protests and even stop "liking" any comments or other related posts 

January 21

• a group of owners went on a strike at the market for car sales situated on Babak avenue in the capital of Baku. They demanded that the market management decreased rent prices given manat devalued almost by half in the past year. The management complied this time, decreasing prices by 10%

January 23

• Few foreign companies decide to leave Azerbaijan. Among them are French Technip Maritime Overseas LTD; Italian Maccaferri Azerbaijan and Turkey's Anel Telecommunication Electronic Systems 

January 25

• employees of Dashkasan Mining Factory came to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection demanding their salaries of the past two years- the employees say they have not been paid for the past two years.   
• also today a group of employees employed by AzerInshaat [construction company] gathered in front of the company headquarters demanding their unpaid salaries. Employees also protested last year October for the same reasons.  

January 26

• two more banks bid farewell today: United Credit Bank and NBC Bank's license was revoked  

January 27

• Two more banks lose their license in Azerbaijan: Caucasus Development Bank (Qafqaz Inkisaf Bank) and AtraBank 

January 28

• ParaBank says it won't issue any more loans  
• protests erupt in another town- Sumgayit. This time it were the shop owners at Karvan mall in Sumgayit. They were demanding that the mall management lowers the rents. They did by 30-50% however, they also said it's short term and will last for 3 months.

January 29

• Owner of Pharmacy chain Elmir Maharov called into the questioning based on the charges of "Artificial price increase and other illegal behavior". Avis operated in Azerbaijan since 1998. It has around 10 pharmacies across Baku.  

January 30

• after a few social media users announced plans for a protest in Zaqatala they were arrested. In total 7 people were arrested (including those who re-posted the original posts).  

February 1

• TexnikaBank license revoked 
• renters of shops at Karvan mall in Sumgayit continued protesting against high rent fees. Promises to drop fees that were made few days ago never happened.
• Musavat party activist Elvin Pashayev remained behind bars as Appeal court dismissed appeals of Pashayev's innocense
• Similarly deputy of Azerbaijan Popular Front Fuad Gahramanli was also left behind bars as Appeal court dismissed the motion of releasing Gahramanli under house arrest. 
• reports of a female resident of Aghcabedi self immolating due to outstanding bank loan 

February 2

• joining angered salesmen from Karvan mall in Sumgayit are the shop owners of "Moscow" mall in Baku. But this time, instead of raising their voices or yelling they have simply removed all goods from the counters. And this is how they are protesting increased rents which they are unable to pay.  

February 4

• vendors at the market known as "8km" went on strike protesting increase in rents 

February 5

• story of a man trying to commit suicide circulates online, he is rescued. complaining about pressure against him and his business the man said he had enough and hence tried ending his life. He is known to be Karabakh war veteran.
• also on February 5, residents in Ganja storm the building of the ruling New Azerbaijan party youth wing for the job fair. The fair was postponed due to overwhelming turnout. Police was reported to force people out of the building. According to AzadliqRadiosu there are 3569 unemployed in the country's second largest city. 

February 6

• 18 employees at the penitentiary service were dismissed from their jobs while 322 brought to justice for various crimes including acts of torture, abuse of power, corruption 

* By now, 11 banks stopped working in Azerbaijan while 3 announced their decision to merge