map
Our Affiliates
Listen In 28 LanguagesRFE/RL Radio
In 28 Languages

CNN: RFE/RL is "World Changing Radio"

CNN International reports on RFE/RL's role in Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution, and its continuing mission to spread free media More
More Articles

Multimedia / Video Archive

Azerbaijani Interrogated Over Eurovision Vote

August 26, 2009

Rovshan Nasirli, a 25-year-old Azerbaijani, was called to the National Security Ministry on August 12 to explain why he voted for an Armenian song in the televised Eurovision Song Contest in May. The officials said Nasirli's vote for Armenia -- Azerbaijan's long-standing rival -- was a matter of national security, and asked him for a written explanation before releasing him. RFE/RL's Ulviyya Asadzade spoke to Nasirli about his experience.

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

This forum has been closed.
     
Comments
by: Azerbaijani
September 08, 2009 07:10
National Security Ministry should be ashamed of itself and the damage it has done to the (already much tarnished) reputation of Azerbaijan. The guy is a displaced person from Nagorno-Karabakh! He is the one who suffered directly from this conflict! How could he be a "traitor"???..And why on earth the National Security Ministry is intruding in such an unacceptable manner into private choices of a TV viewers?..After the story made it to the international news, some Azerbaijani officials, including on the deputy foreign minister level, said this was a "private initiative" of some bureaucrat, but for those who know the realities in Azerbaijan, this is a hardly convincing argument. For me Nasirli and others who voted for Armenia are more patriots of their Motherland, than those bunch of people who initiated his (and possibly others) interrogation on such uncivilized grounds. Patriotism without civility is fascism!..
     
TEXT SIZE - +

Editors' Picks

'Religious Hatred'

Russia Buries Slain Priest Photogallery

President Van Rompuy

'How's That Again?!' Audio

Photos Of The Week

Arresting Images Photogallery

Follow Us On Twitter

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from RFE/RL's broadcast region by following us on Twitter:
~ You can find our instant news feed at @RFE_RLNEWS.
~ An obsessive Kremlin watcher? Follow our blog at @PowerVertical.
~ Human rights abuses chronicled at @RightsWatchdog.
~ News, comment, and the odd silly dictator story at @TransmissionRFE.

Products and services:

RSSMail SubscriptionMobile