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
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."
21 June 2016
Erdogan's New Turkey Finds Forgiveness for Some, Tear Gas for Others
"Riot police have used more rounds of teargas and [smoke] grenades to counter reconvening protesters in #Firuzağa #Istanbul."
2 June 2016
Azerbaijan: Khadija Free, But Other Political Prisoners Await Their Turn
"Our political system is a model of the European political system," claimed the Twitter feed of Azerbaijan's strongman President Ilham Aliyev.
31 May 2016
Turkey's President and the ‘Treason’ of Family Planning
He is done with abortion, now its birth control and population planning. Next in line: how many times a night we can have sex, God willing.
24 April 2016
Azerbaijan's Hunger Games: Independent Media on the Brink
"We declare yet again, by opening this absurd criminal investigation the government of Azerbaijan is creating barriers to freedom of speech, and journalism activity."
4 April 2016
Does Azerbaijan's Ruling Family Feature in the #PanamaPapers Leak? Of Course it Does!
"Registration records list [President Ilham Aliyev's sister] at an address in a West London neighborhood where average home prices touch $9 million."
