Stories about Azerbaijan
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."
Netizen Report: Azerbaijani Bloggers Targeted with Legal Threats, Spearphishing
Censorship is up in France, China is censoring scientists (again), and Facebook tells developers to stop using network data for surveillance.
In Azerbaijan, Another Blogger Gets Jail Time
"Instead of investigating credible allegation of ill-treatment, Azerbaijan jails outspoken critic #MehmanHuseynov for two years."
Travel Blogger Faces Eight Years in Azerbaijan Prison Over Nagorno-Karabakh Visits and Posts
One blogger, three passports and the intricate international relations of the Caucasus region. This gets pretty complicated.
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."
World Refugee Day: Fear of Arrest Drives Journalists Into Exile
"I was paralyzed by the idea of exile. This is the first time I had decided to flee the country without knowing exactly when I would return."
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.
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."
Aliyev's Toys, or the Treatment of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan
"Our hostage life is over. We are free now! I wish freedom to all our friends remaining behind bars."
After a Year Behind Bars, Journalist Khadija Ismayilova of Azerbaijan is Fearless
"I am so much wealthier than all the corrupt men and women I have written about. Because I have values for which I am ready to even sacrifice my life."
Human Rights Abuses in Azerbaijan: We Can’t Stay On The Sidelines Anymore
Arzu Geybullayeva calls on Western leaders to speak out on political prisoners in Azerbaijan as the country prepares to host the European Games.
Azerbaijan's Image Cracks with Arrest of Watchdog Journalist
The arrest of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayil, on trumped up charges, will test the limits of Azerbaijan's gleaming global image.
Azerbaijan: N!DA Activists Face 6-8 Years in Prison
As one journalist put it, members of the leading online activist group were “found guilty of being bright, intelligent, brave and honest.”
A Different Kind of Free Speech
There are currently 142 people in prison or detention for "politically motivated reasons" in Azerbaijan. Activist and blogger Arzu Geybullayeva reflects on the country's approach to human rights and Internet governance in 2013.
Imgur.com blocked in Azerbaijan?
Popular image-sharing site Imgur.com appears to be blocked in Azerbaijan. There is little evidence that Imgur is popular in Azerbaijan. But a few weeks ago, when hacker group Anonymous released a huge volume of documents leaked from Special State Protection Service of Azerbaijan, a user went through the materials and posted some of the more interesting documents available on Imgur.com. This post details a user's technical investigation of the blocking.
Azerbaijan: “A Country that Portrays Social-Networkers as Mentally Ill”
While all eyes were on the presidential election in the United States, a major international conference started on Tuesday in Baku, the capital of the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. The 7th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) claims to bring “all stakeholders” as equal partners to discuss major issues relating not only to the future of the Internet but also to matters of policing, management, and of course, freedom of expression online.
Azerbaijan: Open Letter to President Aliyev Ahead of International Governance Forum in Baku
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a UN-sponsored conference which aims to “bring[ ] together all stakeholders in the internet governance debate.” This year it is held in Baku, the...
Controversy Over the Internet Governance Forum's 2012 Venue
As the 6th Internet Governance Forum is about to close its doors, controversy has emerged over the next venue. The venue has not been discussed in a multi-stakeholder way (including not only governments and businesses but also civil society). And it is those who were excluded from the decision who have the most concerns about Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan: Youth Activist Sentenced
Jabbar Savalan, a 20-year-old opposition youth activist, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison on drug possession charges. However, others maintain that Javalan was detained because of calls made on Facebook for demonstrations to be held in Azerbaijan following popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
Azerbaijan Deports Swedish Television Crew
The Commitee to Protect Journalists reports that Azerbaijan has deported a Swedish television crew which had arrived to film a documentary on human rights situation in the country. “According to...
