Azerbaijani homeowners protest demolition, insufficient compensation
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 31 July 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Azerbaijani homeowners protest demolition, insufficient compensation, 31 July 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/520894e2b.html [accessed 26 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
July 31, 2013
By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service
BAKU – Azerbaijani homeowners have staged an angry protest against the demolition of their homes in the capital's central Xutor district.
Twelve houses were bulldozed in the area recently as a part of a project to expand a local highway in Baku.
The authorities insist they've been paying an equivalent of some $1,900 per square meter for the demolished houses.
Homeowners, however, complain they have received $760 per square meter.
At one point during the protests on July 31, a female protester armed with an axe threatened a member of a demolition crew before she fainted.
Azerbaijan has been implementing an urban reconstruction plan since 2008, demolishing thousands of private homes in the process.
Rights groups criticize Baku for what they described as the forced eviction of people from their homes.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
