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  • Azeri bloggers test limits of democracy

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8424874.stm

    Aze ri bloggers test limits of democracy
    23:58 GMT, Monday, 21 December 2009

    By Tom Esslemont
    BBC News, Baku

    To bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, the notion of freedom has
    gained a new meaning.

    It was the word their friends chanted in loud support as the two men
    were ushered into the back of a prison van, destined for jail.

    That was in November. They had been sentenced to a combined total of
    four-and-a-half years in jail on hooliganism charges.

    The bloggers - and their supporters - say the charges are false. The
    two men are outspoken critics of the government - and have led
    anti-government campaigns in the past.

    They are also responsible for posting a satirical video on the
    internet in which a donkey addresses a cabinet meeting.

    Growing trend

    It was meant to be a sideways swipe at the notion of corruption in Azerbaijan.

    But it was, their supporters say, the final straw.

    Bloggers face jail for donkey prank

    The case has now caught the attention of several international human
    rights organisations including Amnesty International and the
    Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

    All of them say this is not the first case in which critics have been
    put in jail seemingly for their outspoken opposition to government
    policy.

    "There is an ongoing and growing trend of imprisoning journalists
    under different pretexts, such as drugs and hooliganism charges, which
    look like institutional set-ups," says the OSCE's media
    representative, Miklos Haraszti.

    "All [journalists] are critically-minded people. This means Azerbaijan
    is the pre-eminent jailer of journalists in the region."

    Mr Haraszti says at least five outspoken journalists are now in jail
    in the country.

    The most widely known is Eynulla Fatullayev, editor of Realny
    Azerbaijan newspaper.

    He was jailed in 2007 and is serving a sentence for libel and another
    for "terrorism, incitement of ethnic hatred, and tax evasion".

    Anonymous letters

    He has since been declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty
    International and has been granted an International Press Freedom
    Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

    Mirza Sakit
    Mirza Sakit says his three-year prison sentence was politically motivated

    Other critics of the government have now been released from jail.

    Mirza Sakit, who writes for the opposition newspaper Azadliq was freed
    earlier in 2009 after serving a three-year sentence for drugs
    possession.

    He argues that the charges against him were politically motivated and
    that he was, in fact, jailed for his poetry and his writings printed
    in Azadliq.

    "My writing is very critical of certain members of the Azeri
    government," he says.

    "I chose to write because the government always says journalists are
    jailed 'because of the crime they committed'. I know that to be
    untrue. And I know the public fear the authorities. Through my writing
    I wanted to free people from that fear."

    Campaigners have long argued that Azerbaijan's media is not free.

    TV news channels and the printed media are usually dominated by
    stories about the activities of the president, though there are some
    exceptions.

    We receive a lot of letters - anonymous letters - about violation of
    rights. They don't want to talk on the record, but they want their
    voices out
    Khadija Ismayilova, Radio Azadliq

    Radio Azadliq - the Azeri branch of Radio Liberty - urges listeners to
    call in with their concerns and to criticise the government, but it is
    not always easy says bureau chief Khadija Ismayilova.

    "It's a widely-held view in this country that people are afraid to
    express themselves. We receive a lot of letters, anonymous letters,
    about violation of rights. They don't want to talk on the record, but
    they want their voices heard."

    So what lies behind this fear?

    Campaigners say it is to do with a personality cult surrounding
    President Ilham Aliyev who took over from his father, Heydar, six
    years ago.

    His government, though, says Azerbaijan is on the path to becoming a
    fully-fledged democracy.

    "No-one goes to prison for what they have written or posted on the
    internet," says Elnur Aslanov, chead of information for Azerbaijan's
    presidential administration.

    "The constitution states that there must be freedom of expression.
    Criticism is an indicator of democracy. And we are not afraid of
    criticism."

    The Azerbaijan-based Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety says
    the number of critics jailed for their work has increased rapidly
    during the decade - though that is disputed by the government.

    'Colour revolutions'

    But if it is true, then why is it happening?

    Miklos Haraszti says post-Soviet regional politics - the so-called
    "colour revolutions" in places like Georgia and Ukraine - might be the
    reason.

    He says those movements appear to be inspiring a new wave of civil
    society, of which Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade play a part.

    "It is exactly the case of the bloggers that shows that even since the
    'colour revolutions' a new breed of young people has grown up who not
    only are not intimidated by intimidation but themselves [want] those
    clashes in the courtroom," he says.

    "They are almost happy to demonstrate that they pursue free speech at
    whatever cost." It appears Mr Haraszti has a point.

    As protestors gathered outside the courtroom during his trial, Emin
    Milli told the court he was proud to be defending freedom of
    expression by going to prison.

    The bloggers' appeal was due to be heard on 22 December, but with such
    a wide gap between the views of rights groups on the one hand, and the
    opinion of the authorities in Azerbaijan on the other, few here
    believe their sentences will be overturned.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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