Comments on: Video petition for detained Azeri youth activists, bloggers (updated)

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:12:33 +0000

Just interviewed regional analyst and Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines blogger Arzu Geybullayeva for Global Voices Online where we touched upon the case of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/07/22/azerbaijan-an-interview-with-arzu-geybullayeva/

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:22:27 +0000

There's full coverage of the online reaction to the appeal court decision now available on Global Voices Online.

At time of writing, a counter added to the OL! Azerbaijani Youth Movement blog shows that online youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli have been in detention for 14 days now. The two video bloggers were taken into police custody on 8 July on what many consider to be trumped up charges of â€œhooliganism.â€ Despite significant outcry from leading human rights groups, press freedom watchdogs, as well as the international community itself, the two men were sentenced to two months pre-trial detention on 10 July in a court hearing held behind closed doors. Their appeal, originally planned for last week, was eventually heard on Monday, but few expected the bloggers to be released. In a comment made on my Frontline Club post, Al Jazeera English's Matthew Collin summed up the mood outside the courtroom. [...] link

By: Matthew Collin

Matthew Collin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:09:51 +0000

I was there outside the appeals court in Baku yesterday, and there was a sense of deep sadness among the activists' close friends that all the international coverage of this case, and the critical statements from European and US officials, hasn't moved the authorities to drop this case and end what seems to have turned into a global embarrassment for Azerbaijan's government. More here... http://caucasusreports.blogspot.com/2009/07/no-freedom-for-donkey-satirists.html

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:54:44 +0000

As expected, the appeal was rejected in a court once again closed to the public and international bodies interested in observing the process.