How Azerbaijan's "media" likes to lie about things

Well it should come as no surprise when I came across this story on AzVision.az about Turkey's Anadolu Agency hailing elections in Azerbaijan.

Of course I went back on Anadolu Agency website (the AzVision "failed" to provide any links to the original story) and looked at news.

And surprise surprise, there was no such article but one news story on the elections.

You can see the screen shots below:

 

For those who do not speak Turkish briefly the article mentions the elections in Azerbaijan, the number of candidates, voters and so on. 

And of course you can always rely on google translate. 

Well, surprising, I say no. Typical!

Santa had a detour

Yea, looks like Azerbaijan wasn't on Santa's radar and thats why he was a day late. Or maybe Azerbaijani officials bribed sacred Santa too. Who knows... 

But surely, someone wished it very hard for the country's remaining independent outlet to go quiet. And it happened. 

This morning, Azadliq Radio (Radio Liberty Azerbaijan Service) had special guests. It wasn't Santa, nor was Santa's cute little helpers. It was the state prosecutor office staff. Armed with their own "witnesses" and guess what? They weren't dressed up either nor did they come bearing presents and season's greetings. 

So they came in, gathered Radio staff all in one room, cut the phone lines and internet connection and began the raid. They even broke into the Radio's safe. Yea! I guess they didn't get many presents so they decided to raid for their own.

Documents, equipment, memory cards, and the company seal were confiscated. 

Azadliq Radio was under attack for a while now. First its radio channels were blocked from broadcasting on local radio waves. Then its journalists were persecuted in various forms. 

On December 3rd, the country's chief of staff claimed the radio was spreading lies. Then two days later, the authorities arrested the radio's journalists and the host of the radio show Khadija Ismayil, and last but not least they have raided the office. 

Oh and to make things a tat bit more fun, on December 23rd, the Azerbaijan parliament happily adopted amendments to the country's media law giving the local courts carte blanche in shutting down media outlets the government does not like.

Happy New Year folks!

When we need international attention the most, not everyone is interested as it turns out

A couple never separated before in their 36 years of marriage is currently in jail. A little boy is growing up without his father because he is in jail. An NGO head, determined to influence election results by publishing transparent reports on violations, is currently in jail. A well - respected human rights defender is in jail. The list goes on. According to the most recent report published by a group of civil society organizations there are 98 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Those mentioned above, are on this list of other activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. All of these men and women are in jail as a result of their work in a country currently in charge of the Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. The charges brought against them are just as false as the government’s statements on existence of freedom and democracy in Azerbaijan. 

And yet, the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, gets off easy no matter what the next human rights violation – he is very rich and so is the country he reigns over. A kleptocrat by nature, Aliyev, is the son, of a former Politburo – member - turn - president, Heydar Aliyev. In 2003, when Aliyev senior died, he passed on the torch to his son, Ilham Aliyev in the country’s first undemocratic elections. And so did a new chapter for Azerbaijan begin. Aliyev secured a victory in presidential elections over the course of the next decade, changing the constitution in 2009 to scrape off the two-term limit. His victory in the most recent presidential elections in October of 2013 marks another era for Azerbaijan – a period of severe crackdown on dissent. While there has been an on-going witch-hunt against civil society activists, anti- government political party members, groups and human rights activists, never has the country witnessed the crackdown of such proportions. Just in the course of the past four months, 15 people were arrested all known for their critical and anti – Aliyev views. Some are facing life time imprisonment. 

Yet, in an e-mail correspondence with an editor from an XXX international publication I was told to perhaps tackle another issue in the upcoming article. Because this was not the first article sent in on the country's disturbing crackdown record. Alas, the outlet might come across as having a vested interest in showing Azerbaijan from this negative angle. Very unfortunate, as I was very much hoping this was an independent media outlet interested in shedding light on a country that's not discussed widely in the international media, not of its deteriorating human rights record at least. I am sorry if this is not interesting enough, but if nothing else is happening in a country apart from arrests, detentions and violation of the very basic right to free speech then I do not see how you can call yourself an independent outlet. Turns out there is a vested interest after all. Just of a different kind.

Exorcism: from movie screens to real life

It was a search result on Google actually that brought me originally to this piece of news- "The exorcist of Azerbaijan". A video posted on YouTube, receiving some 180,000 views (at the time of the writing) shows how a young woman "treated" by some man who believes himself to be an exorcist. He reads verses from Koran, smacks her on her head and hits her several times on her shoulder, then burns her with matches and so on. At the end, the "devil" speaks to the man and reaching an agreement leaves the body of the young woman. She falls asleep on the couch. In another video the girl appears perfectly healthy and speaks about finding her path with the help of that exorcist man and now willingly living with him for the purposes of her treatment.
 

Azerbaijani people believe in black magic, witches and superstition. They spend the money they usually don't have on visiting the so-called "healers" in search for answers to their problems, health issues, and possession. Majority of the people are convinced they have been "charmed" (in a negative sense of that word) by evil enemies, relatives, mothers in laws and etc. So it is not surprising that when the video appeared online, while some criticized the video and urged the family to seek professional help, many others took the story as real.

And even the media is on the case- well sort of. A local TV channel ANS invited the family to one of the shows- 'Among the People', where the young woman stares at one of the local "experts" (also known as another exorcist) and starts hissing when that expert starts articulating some weird hand gestures. Yes, all of this happens on TV even with dramatic music in the background and astonished TV host who claims not seeing anything like this ever before. The only sane doctor in the room urges the family to seek professional help but not sure anyone really cared about what he had to say. 

So where does this leave us? Surely that people always have a urge to believe in things. Blaming someone else is always easier than seeking solutions to one's problems. If its health then it must be the full moon, if its money issue it must be the evil neighbor who envied the family buying that new car, if its work issue, it must be the some third power making you look bad and resulting either in you losing your job or not getting the job to begin with and so on and so forth. 

But what it all boils down to is education, our community and of course the media. Surely if that TV host from the very beginning pinned the older brother to the wall (in literal sense that is) telling him what business does he have here at the studio when the girl should be receiving treatment at a professional institution from a professional doctor, who is not by the way, a self-proclaimed exorcist or a healer instead of playing the role of a shocked TV host, perhaps there would be a different kind of story there. 

Surely there is always need for drama in our societies (whatever that means) but at a cost of one's life? Really, is that worth it?

I am not a hoodlum, not an extremist, not a marginal, I am an individual, with rights

Before I found myself in the middle of Taksim Square on May 31st, I was just an expat living in Istanbul. I enjoyed living here though my concerns of what to become of Turkey as a result of seriously conservative policies placed by the ruling AKP increasingly grew over me. 

Turkey was a different place when I first came here, which was in 2001. I was here as a student, studying International Relations and I remember clearly the elections in 2002. I remember the festive atmosphere. People greeting AK Pary's buses in Kizilar. Flowers and promises for a greater future were everywhere. 

I left Ankara in 2005 and came back in 2007, around the time when YouTube was banned. I was shocked. How can YouTube be banned here?! For me Turkey always was a beacon of hope especially for someone who comes from Azerbaijan, where the authoritarian rule of one family been suffocating the country and its people for almost two decades now. Of course there were ways to go around banned YouTube. This was the first time I learned about bypass proxies. 

Then I left again 2009 and returned in 2010 this time with an intention to stay for much longer. But ever since I have been back (and in pretty much all cases) nothing good happened in Turkey. When I first moved back to Istanbul in 2007, I was one of privileged expats, with a generous salary, enjoying the colorful and rich life of Istanbul. But this wasn't the case for everybody, despite the increasing salaries and booming economy. 

AKP policies kept coming in, and while people protested nothing changed. Decisions were made, amendments passed and people got on with their lives. Mass arrests of army generals in the fear of "deep state plotting"; arrests of prominent individual and journalists, recent ban on alcohol and on public kissing, were really the final drops before this nation of some 70 million realized that the cup is full and there is no more room for any "kneeling". #occupygezi came at a right moment. The road expansion plan, cutting of trees, and the brutal police [mis]treatment of people who were at the park opened the Pandora box. People were angry and it wasn't just about trees anymore. 

And so, as events unraveled I too joined hundreds of thousands Istanbulites in protest, demanding that my voice, as an individual, is heard and that my rights are respected. It was disappointing to see government's initial reaction. It was quick to dismiss the essence of the protests and calling all of us- hooligans, alcoholics, hoodlums, extremist and marginals while we are students, doctors, lawyers, teachers, pensioners, housewives, engineers, and people from all sorts of interesting backgrounds. 

Today is the 9th day of protests in Istanbul. Today is also the day when demands of "Diren Taksim" [Resist Taksim] are heard by Deputy Prime Minister. The demands are simple (this is a rough translation, original text is available here): 

1. Gezi Park must stay as a park and that the authorities must announce a unanimous decision that nothing will be built there and it will remain a park from now on;

2. Ataturk Cultural Center (a building right next to Gezi Park) will remain untouched as well;

3. Governors, heads of security forces of Ankara, Istanbul and Hatay and those implementing their immediate orders must be dismissed from their duties immediately;

4. Ban on use of gas cannons and similar materials;

5. All those detained must be released immediately; 

6. No more bans on public gatherings in squares like Taksim and Kizilay (in Ankara) and other public squares; no more bans on the right to protest; and removal of all kinds of conditions limiting freedom of expression. 

The only person who apologized for the violence has been Deputy Prime Minister (and that was on the 8th day of protests and wasn't an apology from everyone mind you). The Prime Minister himself is away on a state visit trip. He left the country in a turmoil, once again dismissing everything that's been happening as an act of hooliganism, fueled by outside powers, jealous of Turkey's economy and the country's growing power significance. Well, dear Mr. Prime Minister, as one CHP Parliament Member said yesterday, "you have been poisoned by power". And that is the problem. People had expectations when PM Erdogan first came to power. Many voted for him and his party and voted again for him and the party but if more than 60 towns been on a revolt and the ruling party is still talking about trees and calling us names, this shows that something is wrong. One cannot call your citizens hoodlums and certainly one cannot say that Twitter is a menace to Turkish society. It is thanks to Twitter that we have been getting and sharing news about what is happening because Turkish media wouldn't (As someone wrote on a wall near Taksim "Revolution will not be televised, it will be tweeted"). It was only after Prime Minister left the country that CNN Turk began showing more footage of police brutality. But even today, on the 9th day of protest there is still no live coverage outside of hourly news segments.

What is going to happen next we are yet to see. I have certainly had enough of tear gas. Though on the nights when I don't get even the swift of it, it feels strange, like something is missing from my life. Will the current government resign after days of calls? I am not sure either. But things have to change, and that is I am sure of. I will be back in Taksim square today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow if need be. I will come and join the peaceful protesters and continue tweeting and taking photos. I know I am not alone.

I am happy to be part of this resistance and see what Turkish people are capable of. Thanks to them, (and thanks to the Prime Minister because if it wasn't for him this probably would have never happened), I saw the unity and solidarity that could form among people united by one cause. The resistance continues! #direngeziparki #direnturkiye!

photographs are by me

Why we should strive to be better...

"... lets be clear, we are not comparing like with like" wrote Neelie Kroes on her personal blog reflecting on this past week's IGF held in Baku while referring to some of the EU member states as Hungary, Bulgaria, and Greece where freedom of expression issues are also present. Indeed, we are not and should not compare like with like, especially when that "like" has to do with which country has worse human rights record or more journalists facing bogus imprisonment charges.

Azerbaijan is no Pakistan yes, where recently a 14 year old school girl blogged about the difficulties at her school under the Taliban regime and got a shot in a head for that (this is not to say we should forget Elmar Huseynov's case, who too was brutally murdered on the door steps into his apartment in 2005). 

For all the critical remarks, statements and comments voiced during the conference there is a lesson to be learned for those who speak of the reality in Azerbaijan and for the Azerbaijani government. We, Azerbaijanis, living in and outside of Azerbaijan must continue telling the truth about the situation on the ground with regard to human rights, net freedom, freedom of expression, political prisoners, and prisoners of conscience. We must continue discussing the difficulties the country's citizens face as a result of lack of "generosity" of the country's greedy officials (lets not start debating which official owns how much). Azerbaijani government, should stop comparing itself to country's that are doing much worse in any of the above mentioned aspects and realize that counter arguing international reports that only state the obvious when it comes to human rights record or the state of the free press damages already shaken image of a country that once was a promising land of freedom, equality and liberty.

Why strive to be better? Well, one message to the authorities is to accept and try to improve rather than shrug it off. Why? Wouldn't be so much better when for once something positive is written about Azerbaijan? Why not improve the situation? Why not strive to be a better country?

What I saw during IGF was that Azerbaijan's government representatives actually do not understand the importance of hosting such important and global events. We might be the "Dubai of the Caucasus", we might have high-end boutiques selling non-affordable (at least for most of the Azerbaijanis) products, we might have construction boom but its not something to talk about during a venue as IGF nor it is a place to tell its visitors to enjoy the PRed-Eurovision-flashy videos while forgetting (or not considering?!) to provide translators (to Azerbaijani) for the opening session and boasting of the development of its ICT sector while failing to provide fast internet connection at an internet focused forum.

It is also not a place to prove anything. The majority of participants and speakers at IGF already knew the situation in the country. Watching short promo videos on Azerbaijan wont form their opinion. Few statements on how things are perfectly fine in the country wont convince them. If proving and convincing is the case, then why is it that every time someone from the government or pro- government raised a question in the audience or made a remark quickly disappeared from the room never staying for after discussion after the sessions (essentially showing that none of things said matter because they don't care because they refuse to accept)? 

I understand that its difficult to accept ones faults and weaknesses. But things can, should and must be improved. Instead of claiming to have free access to Internet why not assure and guarantee Azerbaijani citizens, advocates, activists freedom of expression? Why issue bogus arrest warrants? These people would not write what they write if things were as perfect as officials describe! 

Looking ahead, and trying to think positively, perhaps Azerbaijani state officials will take this forum as an opportunity to sort itself out (which doesn't mean to arrest more journalists, shut bloggers up, and take other terrible measures against advocates). We must be better! We could be better! We need to be better! We need to be building future while not destroying the wealth we have! We don't need Guccis, Burberrys and Dolce&Gabbanas. We need uncorrupted education. We need smarter spending measures. We need to work on our reputation and we need to start now. Perhaps, the first step would be to release imprisoned journalists and let them do their job?! 

IGF2012 is over, but the difficult situation in Azerbaijan isn't. So I am also asking international actors, organizations and representatives who were here this past week, don't forget of your promises and don't give up on Azerbaijan. There is still hope...

IGF2012 through Storify

Enhancing Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan

Wanted to share this joint statement by the Council of Europe, OSCE and European Commission that came today following the week long Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Enhancing freedom of expression in Azerbaijan

'The spring that never blossomed: freedoms suppressed in Azerbaijan'

And finally, Amnesty International's new report on Azerbaijan is pubic. "Azerbaijan: the spring that never blossomed- freedoms suppressed in Azerbaijan" can be accessed at the Amnesty International's website here: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR55/011/2011/en

The report only shows how far Azerbaijani authorities can go to silence its dissent. The deputy director of Amnesty International in Europe and Central put it very well: "Azerbaijan has achieved the bones but not the meat of a democracy [...]"

There are full accounts of the spring protests, as well as numbers of those arrested, detained, and sentenced as a result. 

I fully agree when the report concussions, one of which stresses the role of oil and gas and its significance  for the international community while basic freedoms only being a matter of secondary importance. 

You can read the report here as well or access and download it through Amnesty's website and the links provided above. 

AmnestyReport_Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan media sustainability index 2011

Designed and prepared by IREX this sustainability report is one of many that are prepared and released around the world. 

This particular one refers to Azerbaijan and was released in 2011. 

Media Sustainability Index 2011

'Caucasus Triangle'

Few days ago, I was in Brussels for work. My visit coincided with the II Youth Convention on Volunteering that you can read more about here. Held at the main entrance of the EU Parliament, Convention hosted more than 1500 young people. 

I was lucky to participate at one of the workshops held on the last day of the convention. It was a film screening of a short documentary about the Caucasus prepared by a talented and bright woman Letizia Gambini. The documentary looks at youth, media, and democracy processes in all three Caucasus countries- Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. I was there as a guest speaker to talk about currently pressing issues, gender rights, youth rights and etc. after the movie ended. It was a fruitful discussion as we talked about issues ranging from human rights violations to gender equality, visa issues and more.

Overall, this trip to Brussels showed me how little is known about the Caucasus let alone its issues. Strange and ironic in a way especially since we vest so much hope in these higher European institutions for support and understanding and yet it is only a small fraction that is aware of the issues, problems, and difficulties these countries are facing. 

There is so much more that needs to be done to raise more awareness and attention to our region...

Eurovision 2012 in Azerbaijan, Triumph or Trap?

My recent article written for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. You can read the article at Osservatorio's website by clicking on the title.

May 14th of this year was no ordinary day for Azerbaijan. That day marked Azerbaijan's first place victory in the Eurovision Song Contest in what was only the country's fourth year of participation in the competition. The streets of Baku were festive as Eurovision fans poured onto the streets celebrating, chanting and waiving Azerbaijani flags. The country’s president personally greeted and congratulated the winning duo, Ell and Nikki, praising the two for their outstanding performance in Dusseldorf, the host of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, and calling their success a “people’s victory.” However, while Azerbaijani authorities and many of the country's supporters together celebrate the country’s success, Azerbaijan still remains a country with a poor human rights record and an overall lack of adherence to democratic values.

The Euro Idol

Now in its 56th year, the Eurovision song contest is a glitzy show similar to ‘American Idol’ where fans vote for their favorite songs and singers. It is also the most-watched non-sport event in most of Europe with millions of people following the show. However, it is also known for its deeply politicized nature with neighboring countries favoring and voting for each other. In just one example of this favoritism, Turkey and Azerbaijan vote each year to award the highest possible mark of 12 points to one another. This year was no exception. Turkey - along with other countries like Russia, Malta, Ukraine, Greece, Croatia, San- Marino, Romania and Moldova - gave Azerbaijan the highest scores possible.

Azerbaijan was represented by a singing duo, Eldar Gasimov (age 21) and Nigar Jamal (age 30), also known by their nicknames of Ell and Nikki. Their song, called “Running Scared”, had already gotten some favorable nods during preliminary performances. Composed and written by three Swedish songwriters, Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman and Iain Farguhanson, “Running Scared” is about two young people who are so in love that they are too afraid to finally reach one other and unite.

We Knew We’d Win Anyway

According to political official Ali Hasanov, head of the political department under the Presidential Administration, “the victory was not unexpected”. Hasanov believes it is the importance and “great attention” Azerbaijan attaches to the Eurovision competition every year that got Azerbaijan its first place prize. But other factors may have played a role. Azerbaijan's fashion icon and culture guardian, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Haydar Aliyev Foundation she heads are involved in the contest. Her immediate appointment as the head of the Organizational Committee responsible for Eurovision 2012 in Baku only proves this to be true.

Azerbaijan's generous allocation of funds for Eurovision competitors is not something new for the country. As the world was tightening its belts during the financial crisis, last year alone Azerbaijan spent over two million US Dollars on a young singer: Safura. The performer’s Eurovision stunt included hiring Beyonce’s choreographer, a kitschy MTV-like video and expensive stage costumes.

Under the spotlight

Having won the contest this year, Azerbaijan will be the host of the Eurovision 2012 contest, currently scheduled to take place between 22 and 26 May, 2012. International critiques suggest that this might have an effect on the country’s poor human rights record while domestic observers are more interested in taking advantage of Azerbaijan's time in the spotlight to promote the country's culture and tourism. The contest could offer a possible political benefit in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2012. Other stakeholders hope some attention will be paid to the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno Karabakh, a territorial dispute that escalated in 1992 and has left thousands of people killed, missing, or displaced.

The head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan, Roland Kobia, sees the upcoming event as a “golden opportunity”. In a statement he made shortly after the contest, Kobia said Azerbaijan should use this occasion to show the world its commitment to reforms and to the modernization of its society.

Many human rights activists and pro-democracy advocates in Azerbaijan can only wish such optimism were realistic, especially as the country has gained a negative reputation abroad for its crackdowns on activists and journalists, its tight control of independent media, and its history of rigged elections.

It was ironic to see that while thousands of Azerbaijanis hailed the Eurovision victory in Freedom Square on the night of May 14th in the capital of this oil-rich nation, that very same square has been closed to any political protests since 2003. The square has been closed to demonstrations since mass protests held in 2003 when the country’s current president came to power in undemocratic elections that failed to meet Azerbaijan's OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections.

A resolution recently adopted by the European Parliament condemns a recent wave of crackdowns in Azerbaijan on journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists. The resolution underlines the country’s superficial commitment to a number of international conventions and agreements. In the past four years, the country has regressed in its reform pledges rather than progressed, going so far as to accuse some of its young activists of plotting the overthrow of the regime. The recent forced closure of the Norwegian Human Rights House is just another example of recent crackdowns. Azerbaijan remains the only member state of the Council of Europe that, to this day, refuses to allow the Council’s special representative on political prisoners to visit.

And so, while Ell and Nikki are “Running Scared” from each other, Azerbaijan’s activists and many others are running scared from the Azerbaijani authorities at home and abroad. And it is definitely not out of strong love and affection for each other…