Stories about Azerbaijan from November, 2010
Caucasus: Revelations & Confusion over Cablegate
As the media worldwide reveals revelation after revelation with the gradual release of over 251,000 leaked U.S. Embassy cables over the coming weeks, there were also some items of specific interest in the South Caucasus.
Georgia: Gypsies from Azerbaijan
Ulviya's Blog reports on the plight of gypsies begging on the streets of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. The blog notes that most of them come from Azerbaijan and offers a brief glimpse into their lives.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Does culture unite or divide?
With a recent survey indicating that the majority of Armenians and Azerbaijanis are against mutual friendship, hopes for peace between the two neighboring countries appear very bleak indeed. Recent developments, including in the sphere of culture, appear to support that notion, but is there any hope?
Azerbaijan: Turkish memoir allegations
The Önər Blog [AZ] summarizes and comments on some of the allegations made against Azerbaijan's former president and Soviet-era boss in a new book of memoirs by a Turkish Embassy Press Attaché in the oil-rich country. The blog also posts an English translation.
Azerbaijan: Emin Milli released, but another activist detained
Following yesterday's news that video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade had been conditionally released in Azerbaijan, Facebook was today awash with news that his friend and fellow activist, Emin Milli, had also been freed.
Azerbaijan: Second video blogging youth activist released
Following yesterday's surprise news that video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade had been conditionally released from prison in Azerbaijan, Emin Milli, a friend and associate of Hajizada arrested and imprisoned at the same time last year, was also freed today. Threatened Voices has updated its status page accordingly.
Azerbaijan: Video blogger Adnan Hajizade released
In a surprise decision, an Appeal Court in Azerbaijan today ordered the conditional release of video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade. The news, as well as reaction, quickly spread on Facebook and Twitter.
Azerbaijan: Video blogging youth activist released
Threatened Voices has changed the status and updated the profile page of video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade following news that an Appeal Court in Azerbaijan ordered his conditional release earlier today after 16 months in detention. Despite significant international outcry, however, Emin Milli, an associate of Hajizade arrested at...
Azerbaijan: YAPistan
Jafarova's blog [AZ] comments on the results of yesterday's parliamentary elections held in Azerbaijan which saw the ruling YAP party consolidate its grip on power in the oil-rich former Soviet republic. Considering the parliament as simply a body to rubber stamp decisions from the President's Office, the blog says that...
Azerbaijan: Friends
Social Science in the Caucasus comments on its own data examining relationships in Azerbaijan. In particular, it examines results which show that 27 percent of female respondents say they have no close friends as opposed to 17 percent of men.
Azerbaijan: Electoral fraud reported during Parliamentary elections
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines comments on today's parliamentary election in Azerbaijan. Despite media reports highlighting widespread voter apathy, the general mistrust in the election process is backed up by the blog referring to multiple examples of electoral fraud and violations.
Azerbaijan: The media, religion & secularism
The Önər Blog [AZ] comments on calls by the Iranian Ambassador in Azerbaijan, as well as some religious citizens, to close down the ALMA newspaper after it was critical of the prophet Muhammad. The blog says that religion runs counter to democracy and freedom of expression, especially in a secular...
Azerbaijan: Defaced election posters
With the 7 November parliamentary election just four days away, Dadashov's Blog [AZ] posts a slideshow of images showing defaced election posters on one street in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital. The blog sarcastically notes that only the post of one candidate, the Rector of Baku State University running for the...
Azerbaijan: flash mob fuss among the masses
Scary Azeri [ENG], a blog popular for its acerbic humor and opinion, comments on what it sees as a flashmob epidemic among youth in Azerbaijan. While it appreciates flashmobs aimed at raising issues of importance such as the environment, it wonders whether those youth involved in such actions are simply...
Azerbaijan: Sexual intrigues ahead of parliamentary election
Fatalin's Blog comments on the pro-government media the airing of a video depicting an opposition newspaper editor having sex. The blog decries the level of journalism in the country and how black propaganda is being spread ahead of the 7 November parliamentary election.
