'From Facebook to the streets of Baku'

The following is an excerpt from my recent article written for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. 

Are the winds of the "Arab Spring" reaching Baku after all? A number of peaceful protests directly calling for the authorities to resign have stared in Azerbaijan, with the Internet playing a key role. The demonstrations have so far been met with repression, intimidation and new arrests. 

Earlier in March, a group of young and internet- savvy activists created a Facebook event page calling it "March 11th- Great People's Dat". In a short time, the group managed to gather thousands of supporters (more than 4,000) not only among independent activists and students but also among opposition party members. The Facebook page called on the Azerbaijani people to unite in demanding a change in the current regime. It was a loosely- organized structure with no leaders guiding the campaign and it did not have any clearly- defined set of actions. It served as a platform for young and independent activists, students, and opposition members, to discuss and share their ideas. It was the first nonviolent form of resistance in recent years that directly called on the authorities to resign[...]

You can read the rest of the article here.

We are citizens of a different country

Another youth activist, was arrested today right from under the noses of his very own parents. Today, on March 8th, Rashadat Akhundov was sentenced to 5 days of imprisonment. And another activist, this time deputy chair of youth branch of an opposition party- Musavat, Sakhavat Soltanli was too arrested on March 8th. Soltanli was charged with auto- hooliganism. 

There are rumors that more activists will be arrested over the course of the next few days and any protests planned for March 11th, will be dispersed. 

It all seems out of this world- as if we are not citizens of this country but from somewhere else and so anything we say is used against us. Oh, wait a second, I think I know why, I have completely forgotten about it- we are all HOOLIGANS- and so the Azerbaijani authorities are punishing all its young hooligans on same charges (though I have to say auto hooliganism is something new). Its just there is this one thing- it looks funny from the outside- one huge and rich government is scared of its progressive youth?! Hmm... strange doesn't it?! 

Another activist in prison

Having Digiturk (Turkish cable TV) block blogspot.com in Turkey just because it didn't follow through its personal distress with Google, it has become a hassle to keep my blog updated on what is happening right now in Azerbaijan. However, thats for another discussion...

Following my post on March 11th event, one of its "creators" Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested. On March 4th he was called in to the police for a second time that day and that was when he was never released. According to a letter received from Hajiyev, he was beaten, tortured and threatened to be raped by one of the local police officials of Ganja. He is currently on hunger strike.

Please spread the word- all we want for Azerbaijan is democracy, justice and freedom! Don't be fooled with fake anti- corruption measures and so- called "developments" taking place in this country- this is just a cover up for all the dirty deeds of Azerbaijani authorities.

Wanted to share few links:
http://turkhan.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/bakhtiyar-hajiyev-began-death-hunger-strike-and-wants-to-meet-with-the-us-ambassador/

http://turkhan.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/note-about-jailed-activist-and-situation/

http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/03/04/azerbaijan-activist-arrested-questioned-over-facebook/

http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/03/03/azerbaijan-as-protests-loom-facebook-is-monitored/

http://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijan_youth_activist/2328489.html

http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2645&Itemid=43

In case you were wondering... a little bit on March 11

Here is an article i just translated on March 11 that was published originally here [AZ].

It has been few days now that a group called “March 11- great nation day” was created on Facebook. A group of over 20,000 active Facebook users were informed of its purpose. The creator of the group, Elnur Majidli who currently lives in France and is also the founder of European Azerbaijanis for Democracy organization says the aim of this group is to break mass hopelessness:

“The date March 11 was picked purely by coincidence. But it also coincides with Mubarak’s resignation marking exactly one month. On February 11^th, Jabbar Savalan was arrested on charges of drug possession (that were planted on him) shortly after his call to people to come together at Freedom Square. On February 11^th, while Jabbar was in prison, in Egypt, a dictator fell”.

There is nothing planned on March 11, “its simply a people’s incentive” says E. Majidli:

“Azerbaijani people, community, individuals will do whatever it is they see in March 11 themselves. Maybe there are going to be tens and hundreds of different protests, someone will hang out an Azerbaijani flag from their window, someone will wear a t-shirt, others distribute leaflets and etc.”

When asked whether it was also a coincidence that all of the group moderators live abroad, E. Majidli said, despite some people being offered to moderate the group in Azerbaijan, they refused:

“Many people refrain, so we put more brave ones to break this avoidance. If I would have opened this Facebook page have I lived in Azerbaijan, I would  have possibly get arrested. That is why I understand those who are in Azerbaijan”.

Among creators of the group is Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, who lives in Azerbaijan. He says, his involvement has to do with the technical issues of the group.

In the meantime, Chair of one of the pro- government political parties and a member of the national parliament Fazail Agamali, expressed his opinion regarding March 11, calling it “special project prepared in the kitchen of the radical opposition parties”.

E. Majidli however, criticized this statement, adding that he has already faced criticisms from the opposition parties regarding the event."