Donkey Bloggers three years later

Seeing Adnan's Facebook status update reminded me of the first post I wrote on the "donkey bloggers" case three years ago, on July 9th, 2009 and other updates that followed, like this one for instance. 

I am happy that my friends are free today and that they left that part of their life behind, while moving forward. Needless to say, I wish for all innocent journalists, activists, and human rights defenders currently behind bars, on alleged charges released and charges against them dropped.

If you still haven't seen it or never heard of it, here is a video that eventually caused Adnan and Emin's arrest:

 

Caviar and diplomacy

Who doesn't like caviar? I am sure there are plenty of people who don't and find it gross but this wont be about tastes and food. Well... I guess in a way it will be. As many of you know some of the best caviar in the world today comes from beluga sturgeon. Considered a luxury even back in the day with tsars and shahs treating their visitors with only the best of delicacies, caviar also came to represent a luxury. Azerbaijan and the Caspian basin was and is the source of this centuries old luxury. And as you would know by now, Azerbaijan and the concept of luxury are very much inter- connected. Azerbaijani authorities especially love everything thats lavish, expensive and glitzy. 

And so the title of this post, takes it after a recently published report by European Stability Initiative titled "Caviar Diplomacy- How Azerbaijani Silenced the Council of Europe" that explores the boundaries of caviar diplomacy, deals, and much more between corrupted Azerbaijani officials and no less corrupted European officials who indulge themselves in lavish presents. 

But I am going to stop here and let you read the report yourselves. Enjoy!

Caviar Diplomacy – How Azerbaijan silenced the Council of Europe

'Throwing Spitballs from Berlin to Baku'

This is one of my recent articles written for Transition Online about a young satirist, commentator and video blogger living in Berlin and doing what he does best- playing "satirical" games with Azerbaijan's government. Here is a short excerpt from that article, to read the full story click here.

[...] The satirical publications that have taken their place steer clear of politics. But not Abdullayev. The 28-year-old continues to throw pitballs at Aliyev and his henchmen from 2,200 miles away in Berlin, where he moved in 2002 to follow his father, a political activist who had been threatened by the government [...]

Donkey Bloggers speak at World Press Freedom Day

In 1993, following a Recommendation adopted during UNESCO's General Conference (1991), May 3rd, was proclaimed as the World Press Freedom Day. 

It serves as an opportunity to inform citizens and share information on press freedom violations taking place every day in many different corners around the world. 

It serves:

as a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended, and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

Held this year in the US following the tradition, World Press Freedom focused on themes like:
- New frontiers of news media
- A legal and regulatory perspective
- New barriers
- New trends of journalism

 While a number of other pressing issues were discussed, the conference also had guests. Among these, were the donkey bloggers, who spoke about their arrest, the donkey video, press freedom situation in Azerbaijan and much more: