· May, 2009

Stories about Azerbaijan from May, 2009

Azerbaijan: Toyland

  29 May 2009

Fighting windmills? Take a pill introduces its readers to “toy,” the local word for wedding, and comments on the role marriage plays in society in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan: Republic Day

  28 May 2009

Sheki, Azerbaijan marks the anniversary of the first republic declared in Azerbaijan by looking back at the significance of the event, and also looking forwards.

Azerbaijan: Pork in a Christian village

  25 May 2009

27 Months in Azerbaijan pays a visit to the Christian village of Nic in Azerbaijan to partake in eating the best pork available in the largely Moslem country. Meanwhile, Post-Soviet Euphoria or Sins against Democracy? notes that the prohibition on eating pork exists in both the Bible and the Koran.

Azerbaijan: Smiling dos and don'ts

  24 May 2009

Once again comparing life in the UK with that of her native country, Scary Azeri in Suburbs looks at the cultural dos and don'ts of women smiling in Azerbaijan.

Armenia: Eurovision Bribes

  22 May 2009

Adding to the existing controversy surrounding this year's Eurovision international song contest, In Mutatione Fortitudo says that Russian bloggers have been receiving emails from an Armenian offering payment for publishing an article accusing Azerbaijan of bribing various competition juries.

Azerbaijan: Respect

  20 May 2009

Fighting windmills? Take a pill comments on the system of Hormet or “respect” in Azerbaijan. In a post which defines how corruption and connections work in the countries of the South Caucasus, the blog gives just one example of how a system meant to show respect to some means those...

Caucasus: Mutual self-destruction

  19 May 2009

Security in the Caucasus and beyond… comments on the tendency of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian nationalists to selectively use and manipulate history to justify territorial claims on each other as well as to perpetuate ethnic hatred. The specialist blog concludes that its time for the South Caucasus to decide between...

Azerbaijan: Nationalism fatigue

  19 May 2009

Fighting windmills? Take a pill, a new English-language Azerbaijani blog, comments on last weekend's Eurovision Song Contest held in Moscow. The blog laments the nationalism and petty antics displayed by both Armenians and Azeris towards each other during the international music competition.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Political Eurovision

As voting for the Eurovision Song Contest gets underway in Moscow, bartlemot tweets that the telephone number to vote for the Armenian entry in Azerbaijan was censored. In a second tweet, the same user says that instead of displaying a telephone number in the lower section of the screen it...

Azerbaijan: Bloggers speak about Baku youth protest, detentions

  15 May 2009

Following a terrifying shooting spree at a Baku university which left 13 dead, students took to the streets to demand that a national day of mourning be declared in Azerbaijan. With the request falling on deaf ears, several youth activists, among them some bloggers, planned to protest the inaction, and specifically a festive holiday of flowers scheduled for 10 May. Many were detained.

Azerbaijan: Shameful…

  13 May 2009

Fighting windmills? Take a pill, a recent addition to the English-language Azeri blogosphere, comments on the notion of “Ayibdi,” or “shameful.” The blog wonders why the word is used in connection with limiting individual freedoms but not to decry corruption or the lack of democracy in the country.

Azerbaijan: Bloggers published

  12 May 2009

Fighting windmills? Take a pill, a new English-language blog from Azerbaijan, is pleased to announce the publication of a book by bloggers in Baku. The blog commends a local bookshop owner and prominent blogger for coming up with the idea.

Azerbaijan: Blogger response to University massacre

  10 May 2009

Information about the tragedy which occurred at the end of last month, shocking many worldwide, was slow to emerge, and even more than a week later, there are still many questions left unanswered. However, what is known is that on the morning of 30 April 2009, 13 people were killed in a terrifying shooting spree at the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy. Bloggers comment on the tragedy.