European Forum

Azeri bloggers sentenced to prison terms

Yesterday two Azeri bloggers, Adnan Hadzjizade (30) and Emin Milli (26), were sentenced to two and two and a half years of imprisonment respectively. The bloggers are well known for their often satirical criticism of the authorities.

They were arrested in July after a scuffle broke out in a Baku café where, the prosecution claimed, they were exhibiting drunk behaviour and started a fight after being reprimanded by some customers. According to the bloggers, they were discussing politics when two men attacked them.

The incident occurred shortly after Hadjizade, who heads the opposition youth OL! movement, posted a video on his blog, in which he, dressed as a donkey, gives a press-conference on the wonderful life that awaits him in Azerbaijan. The video is seen as a parody on the authorities’ news conferences that critics say are little more than propaganda events. It is also seen as a veiled accusation of waste of money towards the authorities, as the video came out after reports of the latter bringing in two donkeys from abroad with the price tags of .000 each.

According to critics the verdict is a clear message to the public, and especially to the youth of the consequences of using new media for criticism of the authorities. Some analysts say the use of new media and social networking sites has been worrisome for the authorities, especially in view of the parliamentary elections next year.

International response
The sentence has been condemned by Western governments and international organizations like the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The US Embassy in Baku is also concerned about the verdicts. U.S. Embassy in Baku, expressed concern about the verdicts. "We have followed the case very closely and we are very concerned about cases like Adnan and Emin, who are very involved, speaking out, and exercising their freedom of speech," Terry Davidson, a US Embassy spokesman  said. The US State Department also issued a statement calling the court's decision "a step backwards for Azerbaijan's progress toward democratic reform." 

However, according to some local NGOs the Western governments have actually contributed to the worsening situation, “because they have been treating Ilham Aliyev as a reformer, they have been praising this country as a top economic reformer," one NGO worker, Gadirli, said.

Western governments have indeed courted Aliyev heavily, largely due to Azerbaijan's energy wealth and its role in high-profile projects like the proposed Nabucco pipeline, which seeks to provide an alternative to Russia's near-monopoly on Europe's energy supplies.

New Media
Over the years, Azerbaijan has come under sharp criticism for its suppression of independent media. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called the country the top jailer of journalists in Europe and Eurasia.

In 2007-08, a total of 10 journalists were incarcerated and one, Novruzali Mamedov, died in prison under suspicious circumstances in August. Currently, three journalists are in prison in Azerbaijan in what rights groups say are politically motivated cases.

But despite the government's repressive tactics, analysts say the authorities will be hard-pressed to control the brave new world of blogs, Facebook, and Twitter -- and a young generation that is increasingly savvy about using them.

"There are not enough police and there are not enough courts to catch and sentence every youth activist," Mammadov said.

Sources: NRC Handelsblad, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty;

Source photo: OL! blogspot