RFE/RL
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“Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”
Some 30 demonstrators attempted to gather outside Baku’s public television center, but police quickly rounded them up and forced most of them into waiting cars.
The opposition has pledged to stage demonstrations this week as Baku hosts the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in an effort to draw international attention to alleged human rights abuses.
Read and watch video here. For the latest updates on Azerbaijan follow RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service on Twitter (@RadioAzadliq) and Facebook (facebook.com/RadioAzadlig)
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Check out @RadioAzadliq’s Abbas Atilay’s photos of a snowy Zoo in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Last week we brought you winter photos captured by RFE/RL’s photographers from several of our broadcast regions. As cold weather and snow continue to envelop Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus, this week we present to you photos from a Zoo in Baku, Azerbaijan by RFE/RL’s Abbas Atilay.
But this time we’re letting YOU write the captions. Tell us what you think these animals are thinking as they deal with the cold. Write the photo captions in the comments section on our Facebook page photo gallery!
You can also view the images as part of a sound slide gallery on RFE/RL’s Azeri service, Radio Azadliq’s website. (minus your fabulous captions, of course.)
Atilay’s photographic work was recently recognized and won two awards from a Transitions Online (TOL) photo competition You can see the winning images here. -
RadioAzadliq’s video showing how pedestrians are dealing with Baku’s new marble sidewalks, part of the renovation for the Eurovision song contest.
As severe winter weather wreaks havoc across Europe, Azerbaijan is also dealing with heavy snow and ice. In preparation for the Eurovision song contest in the spring, Baku authorities have ordered widespread renovations, including repaving some sidewalks with marble, but that has led to unexpected dangers for pedestrians. (RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service)
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![Cyberspat Erupts As Baku-Tehran Relations Become Increasingly Strained
BAKU — Iranian-Azerbaijani tensions — which have been escalating for weeks — have apparently erupted into a cyberskirmish that has affected dozens of websites in both countries…[READ MORE]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxzlecqSC11qkgi6go1_500.jpg)
Cyberspat Erupts As Baku-Tehran Relations Become Increasingly Strained
BAKU — Iranian-Azerbaijani tensions — which have been escalating for weeks — have apparently erupted into a cyberskirmish that has affected dozens of websites in both countries…[READ MORE] -
![Azadliq Broadcasters Win Azeri Media Awards
Vusula Alibayli and Huseynbala Salimov, correspondents with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, both won the prestigious “Media Key-2011” award during a January 10 awards ceremony in Baku. Radio Azadliq, as the service is known locally, is the first international news outlet to receive the award, which recognizes excellence in Azerbaijan’s domestic media…[READ MORE]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxxwu8XZKK1qkgi6go1_500.jpg)
Azadliq Broadcasters Win Azeri Media Awards
Vusula Alibayli and Huseynbala Salimov, correspondents with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, both won the prestigious “Media Key-2011” award during a January 10 awards ceremony in Baku. Radio Azadliq, as the service is known locally, is the first international news outlet to receive the award, which recognizes excellence in Azerbaijan’s domestic media…[READ MORE]
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Radio Azadliq Takes Down Corrupt Cops
A video of policemen taking bribes in the middle of Baku — filmed by a correspondent with RFE/RL’s Radio Azadliq — has led to the police officers’ expulsion from the Baku police force. Posted on December 31, the video went viral and immediately drew a reaction from the Azerbaijani government. The short video (above) shows a team of policemen signaling passing cars to stop and then accepting what appears to be a roll of cash followed by a firm handshake between the driver and the policemen…[READ MORE]
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This video by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, Radio Azadliq, was filmed on December 31. The video shows traffic police officers stopping cars in Baku and seemingly — some might say unashamedly — taking bribes from numerous drivers…[READ MORE]
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This week we bring you photos from RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, Radio Azadliq’s photographer, Abbas Atilay. Atilay photographed the gathering of thousands of Azeris in Baku on December 6 to commemorate Ashura, one of the most important religious festivals for Shia Muslims.
Every year Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein, Prophet Mohammad’s grandson by performing mourning rituals and re-enacting Hussein’s martyrdom.
Ashura also marks the division between the two main branches of Islam: the Sunnis and the Shias. Every year Ashura is marked by violent acts committed by extremists — creating greater divisions between Sunnis and Shias.
This year, a Pakistani extremist group attacked the Afghan Shi’a in Kabul during Ashura. This was an unprecedented act of violence leading to 80 dead. Read how Radio Mashaal broke the news in this report:
