Authorities crack down in Azerbaijan

Wojciech Bartuzi 10/17/03

Amid a massive show of force by security personnel, the streets of Baku were relatively devoid of protesters October 17 after rioting engulfed the Azerbaijani capital the previous day. At least five deaths, including two police officers, were reported amid October 16 clashes. Observers said the potential for renewed violence remained high. Authorities have made at least 200 arrests. An Azerbaijani television report October 16 accused the opposition of "trying to bring weapons into the capital," adding that dozens of police have been wounded.

Azerbaijani officials are blaming opposition presidential candidate and Musavat leader Isa Gambar, who is currently in hiding, for fomenting the violence. In an interview broadcast on Lider TV, Interior Minister Ramil Usubov indicated that Gambar would be arrested. "Nobody will evade responsibility if the actions that are accompanied by bloodshed and disorder are continued," Usubov said. "The leaders of Musavat and of several other opposition parties intend to bring new groups to Baku to organize further unrest. We have operative reports that confirm this."

During an emergency session of the Azerbaijani parliament October 17, at which most opposition MPs were absent, legislators voted to revoke the mandate of opposition deputy Igbal Agazade, chairman of the Umid (Hope) Party. State prosecutors say Agazade, who is a staunch Gambar supporter, participated in the October 16 rioting. Observers expect Agazade to be arrested for his alleged role in the unrest. "I do not consider myself guilty. It should be proved that there has been a criminal violation and the arrest should come only after that. Here everything goes the opposite way," Agazade told the Interfax news agency.

Opposition leaders have refused to recognize the official election results, which gave Ilham Aliyev a landslide victory and secured the first dynastic transfer of power among former Soviet states. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Musavat leaders continue to insist that the government engaged in massive fraud, and maintain that Gambar was the actual winner. Opposition leaders vow to keep up resistance to the election results.

"The latest actions by authorities were designed to demonstrate their power to society," Musavat deputy chairman Vurgun Eyub told the Azer-Press news agency. "However, not even all that can avert us from our struggle."

International reaction to developments in Baku remained mixed. Yuri Yarov, head of a CIS monitoring delegation, said the election was "free, democratic and open." Western observers, meanwhile, recorded numerous irregularities, especially during the vote-counting process.

Despite the controversy surrounding the election, several of Azerbaijan's neighbors have welcomed Ilham Aliyev's victory. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered congratulations shortly after it became clear that Ilham would be the winner. Turkey was also quick to accept the election results. During a brief meeting with Aliyev on October 16, Turkish envoy to Baku Unal Cevikoz said he was "proud and excited about the election results." The Turkish diplomat went on to express a desire to further develop "brotherly" bilateral relations.

The United States and European Union member states have been restrained in their evaluation of the election. Speaking at a regular press briefing October 16, US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli offered a vague assessment, saying Washington "concurred" with the International observer mission's view that the election was marred by irregularities. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive]. In commenting on the post-election violence, Ereli adopted a neutral stance, declining to assign responsibility for initiating the violence. "We urge all parties to take all steps to restore public order and avoid further violence," he added.

In a written statement, the Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer said the election fell short of European standards and condemned the post-vote violence. "The newly elected president should immediately start substantial democratic reforms based on dialogue with the opposition, using Council of Europe assistance," the October 16 statement said.

While Ilham Aliyev spoke on election day, October 15, of the need to accelerate democratic reforms and tackle entrenched government corruption, the actions of authorities in the aftermath of the vote indicate that they are in no mood for dialogue. Instead, it appears that the government is intent on snuffing out political opposition in Azerbaijan.

A loose opposition alliance, known as the Democratic Stability Union, issued a statement October 16 calling on the United States "to give an objective assessment of the action of a group of people trying to ‘appropriate' power," the Turan news agency reported. The statement also called on Western states to demonstrate support for "the Azerbaijani people in their struggle for democracy." Given that top Bush administration officials showed a clear preference for Ilham during the campaign, as well as the subdued response coming from the State Department, it appears unlikely that the assessment sought by the Azerbaijani opposition will be forthcoming. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Editor's Note: Wojciech Bartuzi is a Central Asia analyst at the Centre for Eastern Studies, Warsaw, Poland.

Posted October 17, 2003 © Eurasianet