2011 Azerbaijani protests
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Azerbaijani protests are an ongoing series of demonstrations being held to protest the government of President Ilham Aliyev
. Common themes espoused by demonstrators, many of whom are affiliated with Müsavat and the Popular Front Party, the main opposition parties in Azerbaijan
, include doubts as to the legitimacy of the 2008 presidential election
, desire for the release of political prisoner
s, calls for democratic reforms, and demands that Aliyev and his government resign from power. Azerbaijani authorities have responded with a security crackdown, dispersing protests and curtailing attempts to gather with force and numerous arrests.
The European Union
, the United States Department of State
, Amnesty International
, and other organizations have called on the government to release political prisoners and allow for free assembly. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Zakir Qaralov
has vowed to "suppress" protests, comparing them to incidents in "other countries" and saying that the government will not allow them to go forward.
to urge President Ilham Aliyev
to dismiss the government and call snap election
s. Several critics compared Aliyev to then-President Hosni Mubarak
of Egypt
and warned that Azerbaijan could face popular protests as part of a regional wave of civil unrest
, though leaders of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Müsavat stopped short of threatening to lead them personally.
Around the same time, 20-year-old web activist and APFP supporter Jabbar Savalanly gained prominence for posting increasingly provocative invective against the government on Facebook
and other social networking websites, eventually calling in early February for a "Day of Rage" modeled off the protests in Egypt
, with major protests to be held in downtown Baku. Authorities reacted by arresting Savalanly in Sumqayit
on 5 February and charging him with marijuana possession, a charge his supporters claimed was fabricated. Opposition groups called on authorities to release the young activist and compared his detention to the suppression of dissidents in Egypt and other countries, but police insisted the arrest was not political.
On 6 February, an unsanctioned protest was held at the Egypt–Azerbaijan Friendship Park outside Baku, in the suburb of Xırdalan. Several dozen rally-goers, mostly young men and women, waved signs and chanted slogans calling for Egyptian President Mubarak to step down, but also voiced dissent against several recently adopted Azerbaijani government policies, including price increases for services. Police dispersed the gathering within minutes, making no arrests.
Members of the opposition in the National Assembly
indicated support for the demonstrators, demanded the release of political prisoners, and called on the cabinet
, led by former Communist Party
member Prime Minister
Artur Rasizade
, to resign over its failure to institute reforms. The government claimed the demonstrations were organized by the parliamentary opposition under the guise of grassroots
activism, but activists denied this, citing criticism from politically like-minded allies in the National Assembly over the date of the planned protests as an example of where they differ from the opposition parties.
reported that about 60 people gathered in Baku, the capital city, in response to the scheduled event on Facebook, but security forces quickly clamped down, preventing the demonstration from gaining much steam.
, the capital city, drew several hundred people on 12 March, The New York Times
reported. The protest was led by Müsavat, in contrast to the smaller youth-led demonstrations of the previous day. Once again, however, police were prepared for the rally and began arresting people on the spot, including at least one person for speaking to a Western
journalist, though media reported they had a more difficult time subduing the larger, better-prepared protest than they had on 11 March. About 50 people were arrested on this second day of protests. Although most of the protesters appeared to be supporters of the secular, relatively pro-Western
Müsavat and similar parties, a number of young protesters representing the Islamist opposition began chanting "Allahu Akbar", reportedly angering police on the scene.
At least 30 people arrested in connection with the protests were sentenced to time in prison, the United States Department of State
reported. Müsavat demanded that President Ilham Aliyev
step down over the incident. The Azerbaijani Human Rights House and the European Union
, among others, criticised Aliyev's government and called on authorities to allow people to demonstrate peacefully.
reported that at least 150 activists were arrested in Azerbaijan during March, including those detained 11-12 March.
of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party said that while activists intended to demonstrate peacefully, "In case of a provocation, however, we will not be responsible."
, the leader of Müsavat, responded to the crackdown and the government's charging of four opposition leaders with "organizing mass unrest" by vowing to intensify protests. On 10 October, four of the arrested activists were given sentences from 18 months to three years in prison.
journalists. The Swedes were later deported. One woman reportedly warned police as they arrested her, "Don't think you'll be able to keep your government. A 30-year-old government collapsed in Egypt." Officials said they detained 65 people in total. While the government again attempted to confine demonstrations to a small area on the outskirts of Baku, Gambar and other opposition leaders have vowed to continue holding protests in the city center in defiance of the law, as its requests to be allowed to gather in front of the Narimanov Cinema downtown were denied and the organizers rejected alternative settings proffered by the city council. The crackdown came in defiance of an appeal from human rights watchdog Amnesty International
to allow peaceful protests to go forward.
, 20 journalists held a one-day hunger strike
to protest what they view as his unjust imprisonment. "We want to demonstrate our complaints against the arrest of Eynulla Fatullayev [by striking]," said editor Aynur Elganesh.
.
in school. Several dozen were arrested, and police reportedly used batons and pepper spray to subdue some of the demonstrators.
in front of the Narimanov Cinema, a frequent site of attempted rallies against the government during the protests of 2011. Interior Minister Ehsan Zahidov insisted that the protesters, by gathering in front of the cinema instead of at the Bibi Heybat settlement on the outskirts of the city, were "violating the constitutional rights of citizens" and added, "If the Public Chamber rally set for 19 June [was] sanctioned by the Baku Mayor's Office and staged in a venue allotted by it, the police would provide security of rally participants." Police were present in the square an hour before protesters arrived, successfully thwarting the rally.
. hijab ban in schools and arresting of social activists can be mentioned as these changes. The government of Azerbaijan arrested a few Leaders of Opposition and this Caused a new Round of protest& rally inside the country. these Parties include:Popular front of Azerbaijan, musavat Party and Islamic party. Leaders of these parties face long prison terms. Movsum Samadov, leader of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, has been charged with preparing an act of terror. Several Demonstrations and Rallies took place in Different cities of Azerbaijan Due to Islam-Fighting Policy of Azerbaijan's Government.
Thousands of Azeri Muslims have held demonstrations to protest the new policy.
Main dates of these protest include: 11th of Mar, 2nd of April, 6th &19th of May and 10th of December 2011.
United States Ambassador, The European Union, Amnesty International, The International Press Institute and peoples of some cities of Iran expressed concern over the Azerbaijani government's response to protests in the county.
to spread information about rallies, including when and where to meet. However, BBC News
has noted that as many as 80 percent of Azerbaijanis do not use the Internet
, which has perhaps contributed to relatively low turnout compared to protests in neighboring Armenia
and Iran
, among other places. A BBC analyst also remarked upon a strategy seen at the unsuccessful 17 April rally in Fountain Square, with demonstrators slowly gathering while at least initially trying to appear unorganized, very similar to a smart mob
.
Authorities have cited the relatively small scale of protests as proof that the Azerbaijani public supports the government and does not approve of the opposition parties. They frequently use the descriptor "radical" to characterize protesters and opposition leaders.
Government officials, including Prosecutor General Zakir Qaralov
, have also accused opposition leaders like Ali Karimli
and Isa Gambar
of being agents of foreign governments. In response, Karimli said after being interrogated for over eight hours on 16 April, "Speaking about who we are working for, there is only one address: the people of Azerbaijan." While the government has attempted to publicly discredit the main opposition leaders, and both Karimli and Gambar have been summoned for questioning, neither has yet been arrested.
Other activists have been charged with such crimes as "inciting hatred". The government has warned the France
-based blogger who first called for the 11 March protests on Facebook
that he will be prosecuted and could face up to 12 years in prison if he returns to Azerbaijan. His family has reportedly also faced consequences, with his father and cousins briefly being detained and the government allegedly pressuring his parents' employers to fire them from their jobs.
On 25 April, police raided the offices of Gambar's party Müsavat in Baku
.
In mid-May, a top official with the ruling New Azerbaijan Party
claimed the only young protesters attending rallies were relatives of opposition leaders, whom he said "must step aside and give their place to a new generation and build new relations" because they "have no popular trust" and have failed to offer new ideas since the 1990s. He also said he believed the government's efforts to curb corruption, a key complaint of protesters, were sincere and making an impact. Claims to the contrary, he said, were "senseless".
On 26 May, Aliyev issued an unexpected presidential pardon to journalist Eynulla Fatullayev
after four years of imprisonment. Fatullayev was duly released from prison. In an interview the next day, he said that if the government guaranteed freedom of the press
and promised him he would not be punished for his reporting, he would return to work as a journalist in Azerbaijan.
The government put four APFP members, one Müsavat activist, and an unaffiliated anti-government demonstrator on trial on 13 July over their alleged role in organizing protests. Defense lawyers argued that the protests were peaceful and not disruptive, said plainclothes men who helped police to detain the protesters should be subpoenaed for questioning, and suggested Baku city officials violated protesters' right to freedom of assembly
by denying permission for the protests, but their arguments were rejected by the judge.
reported that about 100 young Azerbaijanis gathered in front of Karimli's house on 13 April to remonstrate against the APFP leader's role in organizing protests. The rally was reportedly broken up by police, with two protesters being detained, as it was officially unsanctioned.
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza
expressed concern over the Azerbaijani government's response to protests in March. On 15 April, Bryza denied the government's accusations that the Obama administration supports revolution in the South Caucasian
republic. Bryza admitted that U.S. diplomats in Baku
had met with Ali Karimli
and Isa Gambar
in early April, but said he had not been party to the talks and they did not constitute official U.S. backing for the opposition's goals. "Our desire is to step up sustainable activity and reform," Bryza said. The United States Department of State
has also issued separate admonishments to the Azerbaijani government, seen as a vital U.S. ally in the region, to allow its citizens to assemble peacefully and to guarantee due process
for the detained.
The European Union
criticized Azerbaijan for "lack of respect of fundamental freedoms" after the 2 April rally was broken up by security forces. The supranational body called on authorities to allow for freedom of speech
, free assembly, and freedom of the press
, rights it suggested the government's response disrespected. On 13 April, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
summoned the head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan to express his government's displeasure over the statement. On 12 May, the European Parliament
adopted a resolution in which it sharply condemned the government crackdown and called for the release of political prisoners.
Amnesty International
has also prevailed upon the government to allow peaceful protests. In a letter published in British
daily The Guardian
on 20 April, its UK affiliate called for the release of Eynulla Fatullayev
and other detained journalists and insisted Baku should "comply with international standards on human rights – specifically the right to assembly and the right to free expression". The International Press Institute
echoed Amnesty's criticisms, condemning the Azerbaijani government's deportation of three Swedish
journalists for reporting on the 17 April demonstration in Fountain Square.
At least one political analyst, a Dubai
-based consultant on energy issues, suggested the Iran
ian government may be lending covert backing to protests. He said Iran has a vested interest in discouraging foreign investment in Azerbaijan, a regional rival for oil
and natural gas
exports, and Tehran
may be seeking to spook investors by attempting to destabilize the country.
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
. Common themes espoused by demonstrators, many of whom are affiliated with Müsavat and the Popular Front Party, the main opposition parties in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, include doubts as to the legitimacy of the 2008 presidential election
Azerbaijani presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008. Ilham Aliyev of the New Azerbaijan Party was re-elected with 87% of the votes, according to official results...
, desire for the release of political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s, calls for democratic reforms, and demands that Aliyev and his government resign from power. Azerbaijani authorities have responded with a security crackdown, dispersing protests and curtailing attempts to gather with force and numerous arrests.
The European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, and other organizations have called on the government to release political prisoners and allow for free assembly. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Bekir oglu Qaralov , sometimes rendered Zakir Garalov, is a Georgian-born Azerbaijani politician who is currently the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, an office equivalent to the attorney general in other countries...
has vowed to "suppress" protests, comparing them to incidents in "other countries" and saying that the government will not allow them to go forward.
Background
On 29 January, more than 100 activists and politicians not affiliated with the Azerbaijani government gathered in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
to urge President Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
to dismiss the government and call snap election
Snap election
A snap election is an election called earlier than expected. Generally it refers to an election in a parliamentary system called when not required , usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue...
s. Several critics compared Aliyev to then-President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and warned that Azerbaijan could face popular protests as part of a regional wave of civil unrest
2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
, though leaders of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Müsavat stopped short of threatening to lead them personally.
Around the same time, 20-year-old web activist and APFP supporter Jabbar Savalanly gained prominence for posting increasingly provocative invective against the government on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and other social networking websites, eventually calling in early February for a "Day of Rage" modeled off the protests in Egypt
2011 Egyptian revolution
The 2011 Egyptian revolution took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of November 2011. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil...
, with major protests to be held in downtown Baku. Authorities reacted by arresting Savalanly in Sumqayit
Sumqayit
Sumgayit is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan, located near the Caspian Sea, about 31 kilometres away from the capital, Baku. The city has a population of 308,700 , making it the third-largest city in Azerbaijan after the capital Baku and Ganja. The city has a territory of 83 km². It...
on 5 February and charging him with marijuana possession, a charge his supporters claimed was fabricated. Opposition groups called on authorities to release the young activist and compared his detention to the suppression of dissidents in Egypt and other countries, but police insisted the arrest was not political.
On 6 February, an unsanctioned protest was held at the Egypt–Azerbaijan Friendship Park outside Baku, in the suburb of Xırdalan. Several dozen rally-goers, mostly young men and women, waved signs and chanted slogans calling for Egyptian President Mubarak to step down, but also voiced dissent against several recently adopted Azerbaijani government policies, including price increases for services. Police dispersed the gathering within minutes, making no arrests.
March
Youth activists on Facebooks called for mass protests on 11 March 2011 to mark the one-month anniversary of both Hosni Mubarak's resignation and the detention of Savalanly on what they called are trumped-up charges. In response, the government reportedly dispatched military forces to Baku to bolster security in the former Soviet republic's capital.Members of the opposition in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Azerbaijan
The National Assembly , also transliterated as Milli Majlis is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional...
indicated support for the demonstrators, demanded the release of political prisoners, and called on the cabinet
Cabinet of Azerbaijan
The Cabinet of Azerbaijan is the chief executive body of the Republic of Azerbaijan.-The Executive Power:The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the head of state....
, led by former Communist Party
Azerbaijan Communist Party
The Azerbaijan Communist Party was the ruling political party in the Azerbaijan SSR, making it effectively a branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union...
member Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Artur Rasizade.-Prime Ministers:* Fath Ali Khan Khoyski * Nasib Yusifbeyli...
Artur Rasizade
Artur Rasizade
Artur Tahir oğlu Rasizada , often spelled as Artur Rasizade , is the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan. Rasizada was a long-time Communist Party member during the Azerbaijan SSR period...
, to resign over its failure to institute reforms. The government claimed the demonstrations were organized by the parliamentary opposition under the guise of grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
activism, but activists denied this, citing criticism from politically like-minded allies in the National Assembly over the date of the planned protests as an example of where they differ from the opposition parties.
11 March - "The Great People's Day"
On 11 March, police foiled several attempted protests, arresting at least 43. The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that about 60 people gathered in Baku, the capital city, in response to the scheduled event on Facebook, but security forces quickly clamped down, preventing the demonstration from gaining much steam.
12 March
A larger protest in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, the capital city, drew several hundred people on 12 March, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported. The protest was led by Müsavat, in contrast to the smaller youth-led demonstrations of the previous day. Once again, however, police were prepared for the rally and began arresting people on the spot, including at least one person for speaking to a Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
journalist, though media reported they had a more difficult time subduing the larger, better-prepared protest than they had on 11 March. About 50 people were arrested on this second day of protests. Although most of the protesters appeared to be supporters of the secular, relatively pro-Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
Müsavat and similar parties, a number of young protesters representing the Islamist opposition began chanting "Allahu Akbar", reportedly angering police on the scene.
At least 30 people arrested in connection with the protests were sentenced to time in prison, the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
reported. Müsavat demanded that President Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
step down over the incident. The Azerbaijani Human Rights House and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, among others, criticised Aliyev's government and called on authorities to allow people to demonstrate peacefully.
Other incidents
ReutersReuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that at least 150 activists were arrested in Azerbaijan during March, including those detained 11-12 March.
April
Opposition groups signaled their intention to hold additional protests in April in spite of warnings from authorities not to do so. Officials in Baku pushed government opponents to rally only in a designated part of Bebiheybat, outside the city center of Baku, but the opposition refused any deal by which protesters would not march in downtown Baku. Opposition leader Ali KarimliAli Karimli
Ali Karimli born Ali Amirhuseyn oglu Karimov is an Azeri politician and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party ....
of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party said that while activists intended to demonstrate peacefully, "In case of a provocation, however, we will not be responsible."
2 April - "Day of Wrath"
Another protest was held on 2 April at Fountain Square in Baku's city center, with between 350 and 1,000 demonstrators in attendance. The APFP and Müsavat called the demonstration a "Day of Wrath" and led the rally downtown instead of holding it in a government-approved stadium on the outskirts of the city. Police arrested well over 200 demonstrators, detaining at least two Azerbaijani journalists covering the protest as well. Isa GambarIsa Gambar
Isa Yunis oglu Qambar , also known as Isa Gambar or Isa Qambar , is an Azerbaijani politician and leader of Equality Party , the largest opposition block in Azerbaijan.-Biography details:...
, the leader of Müsavat, responded to the crackdown and the government's charging of four opposition leaders with "organizing mass unrest" by vowing to intensify protests. On 10 October, four of the arrested activists were given sentences from 18 months to three years in prison.
17 April
Police again dispersed an attempted demonstration in Baku's Fountain Square on 17 April, arresting activists chanting pro-democracy slogans, including a mother and her young daughter, and briefly detaining two or three SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
journalists. The Swedes were later deported. One woman reportedly warned police as they arrested her, "Don't think you'll be able to keep your government. A 30-year-old government collapsed in Egypt." Officials said they detained 65 people in total. While the government again attempted to confine demonstrations to a small area on the outskirts of Baku, Gambar and other opposition leaders have vowed to continue holding protests in the city center in defiance of the law, as its requests to be allowed to gather in front of the Narimanov Cinema downtown were denied and the organizers rejected alternative settings proffered by the city council. The crackdown came in defiance of an appeal from human rights watchdog Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
to allow peaceful protests to go forward.
20 April
To commemorate the four-year anniversary of Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla FatullayevEynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Emin oglu Fatullayev is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and Azeri-language daily Gündəlik Azərbaycan newspapers. He was imprisoned for four years in Azerbaijan for his criticism of government's policies and for his...
, 20 journalists held a one-day hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
to protest what they view as his unjust imprisonment. "We want to demonstrate our complaints against the arrest of Eynulla Fatullayev [by striking]," said editor Aynur Elganesh.
May
Though action by the political opposition was subdued throughout the first half of the month, unrest continued in the capital of BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
.
6 May
Police swiftly dispersed a protest on 6 May in Baku. Protesters called on the government to allow Muslim girls to wear the hijabHijab
The word "hijab" or "'" refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general....
in school. Several dozen were arrested, and police reportedly used batons and pepper spray to subdue some of the demonstrators.
22 May
Youth activists rallied on Baku Boulevard to call for the release of "political prisoners", fellow activists imprisoned on what they believe are trumped-up charges. Four activists and a journalist covering the event were arrested, though the journalist was released later that same evening. The activists were sentenced to between seven and eight days of jail time each.19 June
Police arrested "23 of about 80 protesters" affiliated with the opposition Public Chamber in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
in front of the Narimanov Cinema, a frequent site of attempted rallies against the government during the protests of 2011. Interior Minister Ehsan Zahidov insisted that the protesters, by gathering in front of the cinema instead of at the Bibi Heybat settlement on the outskirts of the city, were "violating the constitutional rights of citizens" and added, "If the Public Chamber rally set for 19 June [was] sanctioned by the Baku Mayor's Office and staged in a venue allotted by it, the police would provide security of rally participants." Police were present in the square an hour before protesters arrived, successfully thwarting the rally.
November
Around 30—35 opposition youth activists organised a protest in front of Baku's City Hall on 15 November chanting "Freedom!" but were soon violently confronted by police forces. The arrested activists were released within the next hours.Hijab protests
Hijab protests in Azerbaijan is a consequence of recently changes specially in formal and social aspects of AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. hijab ban in schools and arresting of social activists can be mentioned as these changes. The government of Azerbaijan arrested a few Leaders of Opposition and this Caused a new Round of protest& rally inside the country. these Parties include:Popular front of Azerbaijan, musavat Party and Islamic party. Leaders of these parties face long prison terms. Movsum Samadov, leader of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, has been charged with preparing an act of terror. Several Demonstrations and Rallies took place in Different cities of Azerbaijan Due to Islam-Fighting Policy of Azerbaijan's Government.
Thousands of Azeri Muslims have held demonstrations to protest the new policy.
Main dates of these protest include: 11th of Mar, 2nd of April, 6th &19th of May and 10th of December 2011.
United States Ambassador, The European Union, Amnesty International, The International Press Institute and peoples of some cities of Iran expressed concern over the Azerbaijani government's response to protests in the county.
Tactics
Protesters have used social networking sites such as FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
to spread information about rallies, including when and where to meet. However, BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
has noted that as many as 80 percent of Azerbaijanis do not use the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, which has perhaps contributed to relatively low turnout compared to protests in neighboring Armenia
2011 Armenian protests
The 2011 Armenian protests are an ongoing series of civil demonstrations aimed at provoking political reforms and concessions from both the government of Armenia and the civic government of Yerevan, its capital and largest city...
and Iran
2011 Iranian protests
The 2011 Iranian protests are a series of demonstrations across Iran which began on 14 February 2011, called "The Day of Rage". The protests followed the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests and were influenced by other concurrent protests in the region...
, among other places. A BBC analyst also remarked upon a strategy seen at the unsuccessful 17 April rally in Fountain Square, with demonstrators slowly gathering while at least initially trying to appear unorganized, very similar to a smart mob
Smart mob
A smart mob is a group that, contrary to the usual connotations of a mob, behaves intelligently or efficiently because of its exponentially increasing network links. This network enables people to connect to information and others, allowing a form of social coordination. Parallels are made to,...
.
Domestic response
The government has striven to keep rallies from gathering much strength, dispersing the initial youth-led protests on 11 March in some cases before they could even start. To accomplish this, authorities have ordered security forces to the scene of planned demonstrations, taking a proactive approach rather than reacting once protests actually break out. Police have generally not hesitated to detain and arrest anyone they judge to be a possible agitator, including Azerbaijanis seen talking to journalists, and on at least two occasions, they have detained journalists themselves.Authorities have cited the relatively small scale of protests as proof that the Azerbaijani public supports the government and does not approve of the opposition parties. They frequently use the descriptor "radical" to characterize protesters and opposition leaders.
Government officials, including Prosecutor General Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Qaralov
Zakir Bekir oglu Qaralov , sometimes rendered Zakir Garalov, is a Georgian-born Azerbaijani politician who is currently the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, an office equivalent to the attorney general in other countries...
, have also accused opposition leaders like Ali Karimli
Ali Karimli
Ali Karimli born Ali Amirhuseyn oglu Karimov is an Azeri politician and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party ....
and Isa Gambar
Isa Gambar
Isa Yunis oglu Qambar , also known as Isa Gambar or Isa Qambar , is an Azerbaijani politician and leader of Equality Party , the largest opposition block in Azerbaijan.-Biography details:...
of being agents of foreign governments. In response, Karimli said after being interrogated for over eight hours on 16 April, "Speaking about who we are working for, there is only one address: the people of Azerbaijan." While the government has attempted to publicly discredit the main opposition leaders, and both Karimli and Gambar have been summoned for questioning, neither has yet been arrested.
Other activists have been charged with such crimes as "inciting hatred". The government has warned the France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-based blogger who first called for the 11 March protests on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
that he will be prosecuted and could face up to 12 years in prison if he returns to Azerbaijan. His family has reportedly also faced consequences, with his father and cousins briefly being detained and the government allegedly pressuring his parents' employers to fire them from their jobs.
On 25 April, police raided the offices of Gambar's party Müsavat in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
.
In mid-May, a top official with the ruling New Azerbaijan Party
New Azerbaijan Party
The New Azerbaijan Party is the ruling political party in Azerbaijan. It was formed on 18 December 1992 by the former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who led it until his retirement and death in 2003...
claimed the only young protesters attending rallies were relatives of opposition leaders, whom he said "must step aside and give their place to a new generation and build new relations" because they "have no popular trust" and have failed to offer new ideas since the 1990s. He also said he believed the government's efforts to curb corruption, a key complaint of protesters, were sincere and making an impact. Claims to the contrary, he said, were "senseless".
On 26 May, Aliyev issued an unexpected presidential pardon to journalist Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Emin oglu Fatullayev is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and Azeri-language daily Gündəlik Azərbaycan newspapers. He was imprisoned for four years in Azerbaijan for his criticism of government's policies and for his...
after four years of imprisonment. Fatullayev was duly released from prison. In an interview the next day, he said that if the government guaranteed freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
and promised him he would not be punished for his reporting, he would return to work as a journalist in Azerbaijan.
The government put four APFP members, one Müsavat activist, and an unaffiliated anti-government demonstrator on trial on 13 July over their alleged role in organizing protests. Defense lawyers argued that the protests were peaceful and not disruptive, said plainclothes men who helped police to detain the protesters should be subpoenaed for questioning, and suggested Baku city officials violated protesters' right to freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests...
by denying permission for the protests, but their arguments were rejected by the judge.
Counter-demonstrations
Trend News AgencyTrend News Agency
Trend News Agency is the biggest private news company in Azerbaijan, Caucasus and Central Asia. Trend was founded in 1995 and promotes investing in Civil Society Projects in Azerbaijan....
reported that about 100 young Azerbaijanis gathered in front of Karimli's house on 13 April to remonstrate against the APFP leader's role in organizing protests. The rally was reportedly broken up by police, with two protesters being detained, as it was officially unsanctioned.
International reaction
United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza
Matthew Bryza
Matthew James Bryza is a United States diplomat. Currently serves as the United States Ambassador to Azerbaijan.-Education:...
expressed concern over the Azerbaijani government's response to protests in March. On 15 April, Bryza denied the government's accusations that the Obama administration supports revolution in the South Caucasian
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
republic. Bryza admitted that U.S. diplomats in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
had met with Ali Karimli
Ali Karimli
Ali Karimli born Ali Amirhuseyn oglu Karimov is an Azeri politician and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party ....
and Isa Gambar
Isa Gambar
Isa Yunis oglu Qambar , also known as Isa Gambar or Isa Qambar , is an Azerbaijani politician and leader of Equality Party , the largest opposition block in Azerbaijan.-Biography details:...
in early April, but said he had not been party to the talks and they did not constitute official U.S. backing for the opposition's goals. "Our desire is to step up sustainable activity and reform," Bryza said. The United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
has also issued separate admonishments to the Azerbaijani government, seen as a vital U.S. ally in the region, to allow its citizens to assemble peacefully and to guarantee due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
for the detained.
The European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
criticized Azerbaijan for "lack of respect of fundamental freedoms" after the 2 April rally was broken up by security forces. The supranational body called on authorities to allow for freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
, free assembly, and freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
, rights it suggested the government's response disrespected. On 13 April, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
Elmar Mammadyarov
Elmar Mammadyarov Maharram oglu , born on July 2, 1960, Baku), is the Foreign Minister in the Government of Azerbaijan since 2004. Mammadyarov speaks Russian, English and Turkish.-Early life:...
summoned the head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan to express his government's displeasure over the statement. On 12 May, the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
adopted a resolution in which it sharply condemned the government crackdown and called for the release of political prisoners.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
has also prevailed upon the government to allow peaceful protests. In a letter published in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
daily The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
on 20 April, its UK affiliate called for the release of Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Emin oglu Fatullayev is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and Azeri-language daily Gündəlik Azərbaycan newspapers. He was imprisoned for four years in Azerbaijan for his criticism of government's policies and for his...
and other detained journalists and insisted Baku should "comply with international standards on human rights – specifically the right to assembly and the right to free expression". The International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
echoed Amnesty's criticisms, condemning the Azerbaijani government's deportation of three Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
journalists for reporting on the 17 April demonstration in Fountain Square.
At least one political analyst, a Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
-based consultant on energy issues, suggested the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian government may be lending covert backing to protests. He said Iran has a vested interest in discouraging foreign investment in Azerbaijan, a regional rival for oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
exports, and Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
may be seeking to spook investors by attempting to destabilize the country.