The CNIS held its next in the series of “Azerbaijan Democratic Republic ( 1918-1920)  Round Tables” conference on the 8th of February in Baku. The round table was devoted to the political parties and elections and their characteristics in the oil rich post-Soviet states. Development of the democratic institutions in the post-Soviet oil rich states of the Caspian region faces additional to the common soviet legacies structural obstacles. These characteristics include first of all ruling elite’s monopoly over oil and gas resources, which in the absence of the real mechanisms of the public...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Despite objections from the opposition and activists regarding the illogical closure of land borders for four years, the authorities have not taken them into consideration...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Elkhan Aliyev, an activist from the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (AXCP), who has been imprisoned for 10 months, has announced that he will start a hunger strike to the death. At the Baku Court of Appeal, he declared that beginning on May 15, he will refuse both food and water. An AXCP official explained that Aliyev is taking this drastic step...


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    FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Azerbaijan is a black, deep, bottomless well that silently swallows and exploits us, and destroys our life, happiness, dreams, hopes, and future.” (Lack of) Human Rights and Liberties The trial of Alizamin Salayev, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Part (APFP) Salyan district branch, who has been on hunger strike for more than 100 days, has been held. Salayev was brought to the court by ambulance as he was not able to move. Despite numerous calls from local and international human rights defenders to release Salayev, the court...


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    FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Azerbaijani authorities use all means such as blackmailing, bribe and assault to silence its critics abroad.”                                                                                                          (Lack of) Human Rights and Liberties Activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev has been on hunger strike for 48 days. Some journalists consider it the longest hunger strike in the political history of Azerbaijan. Despite continues calls from local and international human rights organziations...


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      FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “In the eyes of these brainwashed masses, the right of a flag is greater than the right of a person.” (Lack of) Human Rights and Liberties Anar Aliyev, a refugee in Germany who went to Baku to see his relatives, was arrested for drug abuse. Aliyev denied the allegation and said that the reason for his arrest is his participation in the rallies against the Azerbaijani government in Germany. Aliyev was granted refugee status in Germany for humanitarian reasons. His relatives said that drugs were added to his drink at the police...


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