A regional analyst and a blogger, Arzu holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey and a Master’s of Science degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her areas of interest include regional politics, conflict resolution, and new social media.
Latest posts by Arzu Geybullayeva
18 July 2017
In State of Emergency, Turkey Jails Six Human Rights Defenders Pending Trial
"The accusations of aiding an armed terrorist organisation against them are groundless. Workshops of this kind are common, essential education for human rights organisations."
6 July 2017
Turkish Authorities Detain Top Human Rights Defenders at Training Workshop
"[These] people who have dedicated their lives to human rights. A day will come when they will stand for the rights of those behind these vile news stories."
5 July 2017
Erdogan's Post-Evolutionary Turkey Floods School Classrooms, Threatens Universities
No more Darwin for schoolchildren, but that might not be the end of it.
13 June 2017
Mirror Websites Are Helping Turkish Users Reconnect to Wikipedia
While the platform remains blocked, multiple "mirror" websites -- sites designed to reproduce the content of Wikipedia, which is constantly being updated -- have sprung up.
1 June 2017
Spare a Thought for the Dissidents Living in Fear of the Azerbaijani State's Long Arms
Afghan Mukhtarli thought he had escaped Azerbaijan. He ended up back there, without his passport and facing jail time.
19 May 2017
Azerbaijan Blocks Independent Media (And Actually Admits it)
"This was one thing we had left and they have taken it too. May God punish them. All they think about is how to shut people up."
5 May 2017
Wikipedia Is Turkey's First Major Censorship Target, Post-Referendum. What Will Be Next?
"Whats the aim, to stay uninformed?"
18 April 2017
In Turkey, There's No Room for Maybe Anymore
Erdogan got his way - by a whisker - and isn't in the mood to compromise. Neither is the opposition.
16 April 2017
Voting Is Underway in Turkey's Referendum. What Is at Stake?
The rules of the game may be on the brink of changing in Turkey, in a way that could disproportionately favour the strongest player.
3 March 2017
In Azerbaijan, Another Blogger Gets Jail Time
"Instead of investigating credible allegation of ill-treatment, Azerbaijan jails outspoken critic #MehmanHuseynov for two years."
21 February 2017
Government in Azerbaijan: It's a Family Affair!
President Ilham Aliyev just made his wife First Vice President. What did your Valentine give you?
17 February 2017
Divisions and Danger Loom Ahead of Turkey's Upcoming Referendum
On social media, hundreds of "No" Facebook pages have popped up, with humour deployed in the face of strident state propaganda.
10 January 2017
Will 2017 Be a Better Year for Turkey's Media?
Turkey's government continues to conflate journalism it doesn't like with terrorism and other crimes against the state.
9 December 2016
Two Young Activists Get 10 Years in Jail Each After Graffiti on Azerbaijan Patriarch's Statue
"I don’t want to be remembered by apologising in my final statement. I refuse to see myself as a prisoner. I am a lover of freedom."
29 September 2016
Azerbaijan Holds a Referendum Marred by Violations. Does Anyone Care Anymore?
The changes passed further boost the powers of the hereditary dictatorship overseen by the ruling Aliyev family.
22 July 2016
Azerbaijan and Turkey: Caught in a Bad Bromance
Some of Azerbaijan's best schools, a university and a newspaper have been scuppered by Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen's toxic political rivalry.
21 July 2016
Turkey Adds Wikileaks to a Long List of Blocked Websites
Blocking information is second nature to Turkey's government. But Turkish netizens are still questioning the value of the leak itself.
17 July 2016
Azerbaijani Women Watch #IAmNotAfraidToSpeak from the Sidelines
"I do not believe there is one woman [in Azerbaijan] who has not faced harassment or violence."
16 July 2016
Following Reported Overthrow Attempt Turkish Netizens Ask, ‘Coup or Theatre?’
"Don't buy it. Perfectly plausible story is slowly emerging. You can't easily stage this stuff, with 300 livestreams."
23 June 2016
‘Well Done Baku'?: Azerbaijan's F1 Forray Leaves Inequality Firmly in the Driving Seat
"While taxpayers ultimately foot the bill for this, two privileged citizens have been massively enriched by the games: the president’s daughters."
