· September, 2008

Stories about Azerbaijan from September, 2008

Azerbaijan: Urban Development Blog

  26 September 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a new blog established to monitor urban development in Baku by two German researchers. The blog includes commentary and photography and is at http://urbanchange.wenedeux.com.

UK: Azerbaijani Gay Artist Deported

  20 September 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that gay Azerbaijani artist Babi Badalov has been deported from the United Kingdom to Azerbaijan. The blog also says that faced with protests, the British Midlands Airways’ spokesperson turned off his phone to avoid calls lobbying on Badalov's behalf.

UK: Azerbaijani Gay Artist's Deportation Update

  20 September 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that following pressure on Azerbaijani Airlines, the details of Azerbaijani artist Babi Badalov's deportation from the UK have been changed. The blog calls on concerned individuals and organizations to lobby British Midlands Airways (BMI) who will fly Badalov to Baku in just a few hours.

UK: Gay Azerbaijani Artist Faces Deportation

  18 September 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that gay Azerbaijani artist Babi Badalov faces deportation from the U.K. this weekend. The blog has chronicled concerns about the persecution of people such as Badalov in the South Caucasus and urges its readers to protest against the decision.

Azerbaijan: Gay Artist Detained in UK

  16 September 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that gay Azerbaijani artist Babi Badalov has been detained by British police. Badalov is currently seeking asylum in the United Kingdom and the blog posts details of a protest demonstration to be held in his support today.

Georgia: Travelogue

  15 September 2008

Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal recounts a recent trip from Azerbaijan to post-conflict Georgia. Traveling with veteran Caucasus journalist Thomas Goltz, Totten details an attempt to visit Russian-occupied Gori and an unfortunate encounter with Azerbaijani customs officials on his return to Baku. The problem? The Lonely Planet Guide to...

Russia: Pipeline “Victory”

  11 September 2008

Window on Eurasia writes about Russia's “major victory on pipelines”: “[…] the Russian government will now have full and uncontested control over pipelines between the Caspian basin and the West which pass through Russian territory and will be able either directly or through its clients like the PKK to disrupt...

Armenia: Nagorno Karabakh Independence Marked, Anti-Turkish Protests Planned

  3 September 2008

While the international media concerns itself with the two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, bloggers reminds their readers that yesterday marked the 17th anniversary of the declaration of independence by another self-declared republic in the South Caucasus — Nagorno Karabakh. Marking the occasion in Yerevan also gave one political party the opportunity to declare its intention to stage street protests when the Turkish president arrives in Armenia this weekend.