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Azerbaijan: Bloggers, Global Voices Online author reportedly detained in Baku

posted by Onnik Krikorian on May 10, 2009
categories: Arrest and Harassment, Features

Frontline Club blogger and Global Voices Online author Ali S. Novruzov has reportedly been detained in Baku as the Azerbaijani capital prepared for a planned youth demonstration. Tweets from a reliable source report that at least one other blogger was also detained along with the head of the National Democratic Institute in Azerbaijan, but that they were simply walking on the streets. Updates in the comments section of this post.

p.s: Photos and videos of police detaining youth activists and protesters are available on RFE/RL’s Azeri service:

http://www.azadliq.org/content/article/1625009.html


Posted by Onnik Krikorian on May 10, 2009


7 Responses

  1. Onnik Krikorian

    Still waiting to hear news of Ali, but at least one blogger and most others have been released. Updates so far are below:

    3 people (arjen, rashad s and nigar f) released at pol station 22; others still inside; mood is light outside of station

    http://twitter.com/bartlemot/statuses/1753891469

    Two dalga girls just released from station 22, about 10 left; in station 39 just 1 person left

    http://twitter.com/bartlemot/statuses/1754147193

    Everybody’s out at station 22 – battery down, twexit!

    http://twitter.com/bartlemot/statuses/1754194335

    posted on May 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm - #16309
  2. Onnik Krikorian

    RFE/RL reports that 50 people in total were detained, but they have all since been released:

    http://www.rferl.org/content/Baku_Police_Detain_50_Protesters_During_Flower_Festival/1625163.html

    Hoping that news is correct.

    posted on May 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm - #16314
  3. Onnik Krikorian

    Ok, it’s been confirmed. Everybody is thankfully free

    posted on May 10th, 2009 at 6:51 pm - #16318
  4. Azerbaijani Bloggers Arrested, Released : Committee to Protect Bloggers

    [...] GVO reports that several Ajeri bloggers were arrested, then later released. Frontline Club blogger and Global Voices Online author Ali S. Novruzov has reportedly been detained in Baku as the Azerbaijani capital prepared for a planned youth demonstration. Tweets from a reliable source report that at least one other blogger was also detained along with the head of the National Democratic Institute in Azerbaijan, but that they were simply walking on the streets. [...]

    posted on May 11th, 2009 at 2:39 am - #16335
  5. Onnik Krikorian

    Incidentally, three bloggers — Nigar (first) of http://stop-it-please.livejournal.com, Arzu (second) of http://flyingcarpetsandbrokenpipelines.blogspot.com and Ali himself (last) of GV, Frontline and http://blog.novruzov.az — are interviewed about yesterday’s events (in Azeri):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsLxR4T1ErY

    posted on May 11th, 2009 at 9:55 am - #16350
  6. Global Voices Online » Azerbaijan: Bloggers speak about Baku youth protest, detentions

    [...] Voices Online and Global Voices Advocacy were quick to respond and spread the word while the Committee to Protect Bloggers also followed up [...]

    posted on May 15th, 2009 at 8:35 am - #16587
  7. Global Voices in Italiano » Azerbaigian: cyber-attivisti in azione a Baku

    [...] Voices Online[it] e Global Voices Advocacy[in] sono stati rapidi a rispondere e diffondere la voce, mentre anche il Comitato per la protezione [...]

    posted on May 21st, 2009 at 5:39 am - #16839

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