- Title: AZERBAIJAN: Authorities arrest opposition activists ahead of 11 March protest
- Date: 12th March 2011
- Summary: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (MARCH 10, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Azeri) STUDENT SAMAD AGAEV SAYING: "Of course I would (participate) as if there is injustice, the protests should be held." FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Azeri) ONE OF YOUNG MEN FROM GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO DID NOT IDENTIFY HIMSELF, SAYING: "It is all wrong. Some our guys want to behave like those in Egypt. But that is a coun
- Embargoed: 27th March 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Azerbaijan
- Country: Azerbaijan
- Topics: Communications,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA3K9UZF0UGJ01NCKF8VWU0JHM4
- Story Text: Moods differ in the run up to the March 11 unprecedented protest launched through social media in Azerbaijan. While anti and pro government activists have been waging a "social network war" since last month, the country authorities started arrests of the campaigners well ahead of the announced date.
Divided over the country's political development and rule, Azerbaijani activists have been waging a "social network war" of unprecedented scale in the former oil-rich South Caucasus republic.
A group of opposition activists inspired by the events unfolding in Egypt and its neighbouring countries launched a Facebook campaign urging population to participate in antigovernment protest on March 11, calling it the "Great People's Day."
The organizers sent out tenth of thousands invitations for people to support the civil protest, by clicking "I'm Attending" button advised them to stage symbolic or actual protests "in a civil way without provocations" across the country.
A pro-government youth group, led by former parliament candidate Turan Ibrahimov, rebuffed the opposition with the launch of "Support for stability and development together with [President] Ilham Aliyev" campaign on a separate Facebook page. "We are at a critical point in the Nagorno-Karabakh talks. Let's not betray our president," one of the posts on the page read.
The leaders of opposition party did not confirm their readiness to participate in the 11 March "Great People's Day," though Ali Kerimli, head of Popular Front said the opposition supported the youth's "initiative for democratic changes politically and morally."
"Many young people can not find their place. They graduate Universities and can not find jobs. That is why young people of Azerbaijan strive towards democracy and freedom. They want to do something similar to the recent revolutions in Middle East," Ali Usufli from the opposition National Front Party said.
Despite the fact that the clicks on the "not Attending" button, outnumbered those who expressed the will and desire to participate in the event, Azeri authorities took the "Great People's Day" seriously and arrested six activists well ahead of the event.
Officials from the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) party say organisers of Facebook campaign have supporters among Armenian youth and warn that such appeals can be interpreted as a betrayal.
"I do not know the goals of Armenians supporting the calls of Azeri young people. But naturally there is no need to prove that if Armenians support any appeals of our youth, it means that these appeals are against Azerbaijan," Ali Akhmedov, off the ruling party, told reporters.
One of the activists was questioned by the police after a campaign video, showing him handing out rose-coloured fliers advertising March 11 protest in Baku, was posted on YouTube.
Azeri officials deny arrests were politically motivated. International human rights groups have condemned the arrests.
"The Azeri authorities must stop this crackdown immediately and allow activists to organise peaceful protests," Amnesty International said in a statement earlier this week.
Some analysts said the Facebook scenarios were not realistic in Azerbaijan because President Ilham Aliyev still enjoys strong support.
Azerbaijan, an energy supplier to Europe and a transit route for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, has been largely stable since 1993 when Soviet veteran Heydar Aliyev came to power. He was succeeded by his son Ilham in 2003.
Students in Baku universities, who are divided over the appropriateness of the protest anyway, were warned that if they miss classes on Friday, they will be expelled.
Azerbaijan released two opposition bloggers last year before the end of their imprisonment term after the case was condemned by the West as the blow to free speech in the country.
An editor of opposition newspaper Real Azerbaijan is still in jail, although the European Court of Human Rights ruled in April last year that his imprisonment was illegal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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