Democracy News

Azerbaijani Government Cracks Down On Internet Freedom
July 12, 2010
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly

In July 2009, Azerbaijani activists and bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada were arrested after they posted an internet video that criticized their country’s government.  The video, which featured an activist dressed in a donkey suit, was meant to mock the Azerbaijani government for using state funds to import two donkeys for $41,000 each.  In November 2009, Hajizade and Milli were convicted on charges of “hooliganism” and sentenced to jail terms of two years and two and a half years, respectively.

On July 8, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the Azerbaijani government had issued a warning to all citizens that use the internet for political activism.  The warning, likely due to the growing presence of internet activism in neighboring Iran, stated citizens should refrain from using the internet to showcase political content that is critical of the government. 

According to a May 2010 report by Reporters without Borders, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev was identified as one of the world’s worst “predators” of press freedom.  Under President Aliev, journalists are now commonly the targets of physical violence and other forms of abuse.  The case of Milli and Hajizada is an example of the Azerbaijani government’s initial foray into cracking down on internet activism.  With the internet increasingly becoming a vital tool of civic activism and political participation, reports of government crackdowns on internet activists are likely to intensify.  In addition, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that the Azerbaijan government is currently working to pass legislation that would further limit the conduct of online journalists and other internet-based activists (as are other repressive governments around the world).

The growing trend of crackdowns on internet activists is positively correlated with an increase in youth activism.  For youth activists, the internet has been an important tool in circumventing the country’s government-controlled media.  The Azerbaijani government’s new warning is the latest in a series of measures to suppress political opposition movements.  In addition to current restrictions on holding political rallies, the government also recently banned foreign media, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the BBC, from transmitting on national frequencies.  The Azerbaijani government is currently working to pass legislation that would further limit the conduct of journalists.

With the internet fast becoming one of the frontline battlefields between states and its citizens, oppressive governments are increasing their use of censorship tactics.  According to a 2009 Freedom House special report on internet freedom around the world, as social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube have become more prevalent in activists’ tool kits, governments have augmented their efforts to block access to these sites.  As the report notes, although internet journalism around the world continues to be less restricted than its traditional hard copy counterparts, such as newspapers and other publications, authoritarian governments are continually working to curb citizens’ online activism. 

For previous news on Azerbaijan, please see:
http://ccd21.org/news/asia/azerbaijan_jailed_bloggers.html

Sources:
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - Azerbaijan's Donkey Bloggers Are Just The Beginning

Reporters without Borders – Predators: Ilham Aliev – Azerbaijan President

Freedom House – Freedom On the Net