Saturday, May 26, 2012


News / From Our Bureaus

Azerbaijani Rights Activists Launch Eurovision Campaign

Ell & Nikki, the winners of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest
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BAKU -- Several Azerbaijani rights organizations have launched a public campaign about rights violations in the country ahead of Baku's hosting of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

The campaign, "Freedom Songs in a Non-Free Country," was launched last week. The organizers argue that Azerbaijan's Eurovision win by Ell & Nikki (Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal) in May was not only a cultural event but also held socio-political significance.

The Azerbaijani duo's first place at the contest in Duesseldorf, Germany, meant that Baku would host the 2012 competition.

"Azerbaijan is not only the host country; it should also be represented in this contest as a true member of the European family that respects democratic values," read the organizers' statement on Facebook.

Anar Mammadli, an initiator of the campaign, told RFE/RL the activists want to see concrete changes from the Azerbaijani government.

"First, political prisoners should be released from jail," he said. "Second, we want public TV to provide more pluralism. Third, the right to freedom of assembly should be guaranteed. Fourth, we want to inform the world about violations of property rights. Finally, we are concerned about the visa regime. Foreigners coming to Azerbaijan regularly face this problem."

Mammadli said the campaign will hold public debates, issue statements, and publish and distribute posters and other materials. He added that activists will also try to meet with the Eurovision organizing committee to press their case.

Human rights activist Leyla Yunus told RFE/RL they want to focus Eurovision participants' attention on the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan.

The initiators of the campaign have appealed to domestic and international human rights organizations to join the campaign.
 
Read more in Azeri here
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by: Kemal Anaturk from: Kurdistan
August 03, 2011 10:31
Well well well,if the father of all true azeris,his kgb highness Haidar Alievich was alive he would have sent all these protesters to sunny siberia for re-education!How dare they criticize his daugher Ilhan`s most democratic country.They are not azeris but kurds or armenians.Shame on all of them.Evil djins have muddled their brains& I hope azeri kgb acts quickly & promptly send them where they belong.Ilhan akbar!!!

by: Joseph Navarro from: Florida, United States
August 03, 2011 23:28
The previous comment "Haidar Alievich was alive he would have sent all these protesters to sunny siberia for re-education" perhaps highlights the proliferation of tyranny that has consumed the Azerbaijani state and society. Patrimonialism, the favoring of specific ethnic and cultural groups, all conservative ideologies that plague the evolution of human civilization in every state from Azerbaijan to the United States (See Tea Party politics).

by: Sara Tahiran from: Baki
August 04, 2011 11:27
After reading this message, I got the impression that , from monitor look at me our enemies. And indeed we do not need enemies, when in Azerbaijan there are such fools. Under the mantle of defender actually hiding the real agents of influence in Armenia, that Armenia being KGB agents are continuing anti-Azerbaijani propaganda here. According to their origin, all these young people-so called “yeraz” in Azerbaijan displaced from Armenia, and have no relation either to democracy or to Azerbaijan. It should be the real enemy of my republic, to prevent the holding of a great event for my Republic Eurovision 2012, which may be a starting point for understanding the essence of the Azerbaijani people by Europeans. Eurovision is not political, and musical-cultural event that unites all the countries of the European continent, serving as a rapprochement of peoples and nations of Europe. Eurovision use in the political struggle is an immoral act. Application to facebook these scum of the Azerbaijani society suggests that they are blind to what positive changes are taking place in Azerbaijan. That can speak positively about their country Leila Yunusov, which does not even know their native language and was one of the participants in the coup March 6, 1992. The first President of Azerbaijan, Ayaz Mutallibov created to NFA all the conditions of intense political struggle in the country, and they gave the town of Lachin and Shusha Armenians to come to power. And Yunus and her husband, sowing in the then-president's office, honestly served his native Armenia. Most importantly the people of Azerbaijan quickly realized the true nature of Democrats and Abulfaz Elchibek. And now these scum of the nation building of a Democrat and the opposition, which no one believes in the country for only one reason that the leaders of opposition parties in Azerbaijan are not Azerbaijanis, and they were brought to power Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan is actively preparing for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, look prettier as our cities, streets, avenues, parks and gardens. Azerbaijan has become a huge construction site, build houses, roads, hotels, concert halls, stadiums, recreational centers, factories, etc. It's all a sign of how our people can work and create even in the face of the global crisis, from which until now could not pulled myself together Europe. Envious neighbors, through its agents of influence want to overshadow the event. But they will not work because people know who they are and what country they serve. They can be compared with a fly caught in a soup. Just sick of them.That is why, health power of Republic create Public movement to support of Eurovision-2012 Song Contest

by: nariman narimanov from: Karabagh
August 05, 2011 10:31
Sara Tahiran from baki sounds like an Azeri Propagandist. Get your facts right, and I know that is difficult to do when you have Azeri State TV to tell you what truth is.

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