Azerbaijan: The Social Reforms and Democratic Election movement SIDSUH; leadership and political structure; current status of party and relationship with government; reports of a police raid on a SIDSUH meeting 9 October 1999 outside Baku; reports of arrests at a SIDSUH meeting at Fizuli Square, Baku 29 April 2000
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 13 January 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | AZE40480.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Azerbaijan: The Social Reforms and Democratic Election movement SIDSUH; leadership and political structure; current status of party and relationship with government; reports of a police raid on a SIDSUH meeting 9 October 1999 outside Baku; reports of arrests at a SIDSUH meeting at Fizuli Square, Baku 29 April 2000, 13 January 2003, AZE40480.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d5623.html [accessed 24 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. |
According to a number of reports, SIDSUH is the acronym for the opposition Movement for Electoral Reform and Democratic Elections (Azerbaijan Bulletin 30 Aug. 2001; ibid. 20 Apr. 2000; RFE/RL 20 Nov. 1998; INAM 1-15 Nov. 1998). The opposition alliance was formed prior to the October 1998 elections and is variously reported to include between 23 and 50 political parties, social movements and organizations (ibid; ITAR-TASS 8 Nov. 1998; Europa 2001 2001, 577). The most renowned of these are the Popular Front, Musavat, the Liberal Party, the Democratic Party and the People's Freedom Party (Interfax 9 Oct. 1998)
A 12 September 1998 ITAR-TASS article identified Panah Huseynov as the chairman of SIDSUH, although a 22 September 1998 TURAN news agency report referred to him as a member of the group's council of chairmen. In addition, the Research Directorate found the following individuals mentioned in association with, or speaking for the SIDSUH council in 1998-1999:
Mais Safarli (Yurddash Party) (TURAN 7 Sept. 1999)
Arif Hajiyev (Musavat Party [Space TV 31 Aug. 1999]) (TURAN 29 Sept. 1998)
Ilyas Ismayilov (Ismailov) (Democratic Party) (INAM 1-15 Nov. 1998; Caspian Crossroads Summer/Fall 1998)
Lala Shovkat Hadjiyeva (Liberal Party) (INAM 1-15 Nov. 1998; Caspian Crossroads Summer/Fall 1998)
Isa Gambar (Musavat Party) (Interfax 9 Oct. 1998; TURAN 9 Oct. 1998; ibid. 14 Sept. 1998; Caspian Crossroads Summer/Fall 1998)
Abulfaz Elchibey (Popular Front) (Interfax 9 Oct. 1998; TURAN 9 Oct. 1998; ibid. 14 Sept. 1998; Caspian Crossroads Summer/Fall 1998)
Mirmahmud Fattayev (Popular Front) (TURAN 9 Oct. 1998; ibid. 8 Oct. 1998)
Ali Kerimov (People's Front) (TURAN 5 Oct. 1998; RFE/RL 26 May 1999)
Rasul Guliev (Democratic Party [Prima News 26 Apr. 2001]) (Caspian Crossroads Summer/Fall 1998)
References to SIDSUH activities after 1999 are scarce among sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Citing disputes among members as miring the movement, the Liberal Party reportedly withdrew from the bloc in May 1999 (RFE/RL 26 May 1999). A 3 February 2000 TURAN report referred to the Democratic Congress opposition bloc as deciding SIDSUH's "future fate." The Research Directorate was unable to find a report of the results of the Congress' decision; however, two recent reports refer to SIDSUH as having failed because it was unable to coordinate the interests of the various democratic forces comprising its membership (Azerbaijan Bulletin 30 Aug. 2001; Zerkalo 9 Nov. 2002). Similarly, a third report described the experience of the opposition bloc as having been "bitter" (ibid. 19 Jan. 2001).
The Research Directorate was unable to find mention of a raid conducted by police on a SIDSUH meeting held on 9 October 1999. A TURAN report of an opposition rally held in Baku specified that opposition leaders of the Musavat, People's Front, Democratic and Liberal parties, who were meeting at the Musavat Party headquarters, were blocked from leaving by police (TURAN 9 Oct. 1998). The rally, which was held in Samd Vurgun park and attended by 25,000 opposition supporters, became controversial after authorities refused to allow it to occur in Freedom Square (ibid.).
Indicate that an opposition rally in Fizuli Square on 29 April 2000 sponsored by the Democratic Congress was attended by several thousand of supporters and resulted in clashes with police, injuries and arrests (TURAN 29 Apr. 2000b). Among those identified as attending were SIDSUH council members Gambar, Hajiyev and Fattayev (ibid. 29 Apr. 2000a). However, the Movement for Electoral Reform and Democratic Elections was not mentioned in the reports consulted by the Research Directorate (ibid.; ibid. 29 Apr. 2000b; Interfax 29 Apr. 2000; ibid. 30 Apr. 2000)
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Azerbaijan Bulletin [Baku]. 30 August 2001. No. 35 (289). "Let's Hold Partnership Conference of Democratic Institutions." (Azerbaijan Daily Digest/Eurasianet.org) _____. 20 April 2000. No. 20 (218). "Prepared the List of Political Prisoners." (Turkistan Newsletter 20 Apr. 2000/Eurasianet.org) Caspian Crossroads. Summer/Fall 1998. Vol. 4, No. 1. Michael Ochs. "OSCE Criticizes Azerbaijan's Presidential Elections: Government Launches Post-Election Crackdown." Europa World Year Book 2001. 2001. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
INAM, Centre for Pluralism [Baku]. 1-15 November 1998. No. 7 "The Monitoring Concerning for the Presidential Elections in Azerbaijan." Interfax [Moscow, in English]. 30 April 2000. "Azeri Opposition Leaders Arrested in Baku Rally Clash." (FBIS-SOV-2000-0430 30 Apr. 2000/WNC)
_____. 29 April 2000. "Baku: 4 Opposition Leaders Injured, 2 Arrested in Clashes." (FBIS-SOV-2000-0429 29 Apr. 2000/WNC)
_____. 9 October 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Will Not Recognize Results of Election." (FBIS-SOV-98-282 9 Oct. 1998/WNC)
ITAR-TASS [Moscow, in English]. 8 November 1998. Sevindzh Abdullayeva and Viktor Shulman. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Supporters Injured in Clash with Police." (FBIS-SOV-98-312 8 Nov. 1998/WNC)
_____. 12 September 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Leader Claims 200 Arrested at Baku Rally." (FBIS-SOV-98-255 12 Sept. 1998/WNC)
Prima News [Moscow]. 26 April 2001. "Democratic Party Getting Ready for Another Offensive." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 26 May 1999. Newsline. "Azerbaijan's Liberal Party Withdraws From Opposition Alliance." _____. 20 November 1998. Newsline. Liz Fuller. "Karabakh President Denies Disagreement over Peace Proposal While Azerbaijani Opposition Wants Details." Space TV [Baku, in Azeri]. 31 August 1999. "Azeri Opposition Party Accuses Electoral Commission of Irregularities." (BBC Monitoring 31 Aug. 1999/Eurasianet.org) TURAN [Baku, in Russian]. 29 April 2000a. "Baku: Hundreds of Demonstrators Hurt in Clash With Police." (FBIS-SOV-2000-0429 29 Apr. 2000/WNC)
_____. 29 April 2000b. "Baku: Several Journalists Injured in Clashes With Police." (FBIS-SOV-2000-0429 29 Apr. 2000/WNC)
_____. 3 February 2000. "Azeri Opposition Bloc Wants Elections Under UN Aegis." (FBIS-SOV-2000-0217 3 Feb. 2000/WNC)
_____. 7 September 1999. "Azeri Opposition Plans 24 Sep. Protest Rally." (FBIS-SOV-1999-0908 7 Sept. 1999/WNC)
_____. 9 October 1998. "Azerbaijan: Aliyev Allows Azeri Opposition to Rally in Freedom Square." (FBIS-SOV-98-282 9 Oct. 1998/WNC)
_____. 8 October 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Sums Up 7 Oct. Rallies; Some Rallies Banned." (FBIS-SOV-98-282 9 Oct. 1998/WNC)
_____. 5 October 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition to Hold Rally in Freedom Square 9 Oct." (FBIS-SOV-98-278 5 Oct. 1998/WNC)
_____. 29 September 1998. "Azerbaijan: Opposition Plan to Hold March Remains in Force." (FBIS-SOV-98-272 29 Sept. 1998/WNC)
_____. 22 September 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Leader Released." (FBIS-SOV-98-278 5 Oct. 1998/WNC)
_____. 14 September 1998. "Azerbaijan: Azeri Opposition Leaders Intend to Hold More Rallies." (FBIS-SOV-98-257 14 Sept. 1998/WNC)
Zerkalo [Baku, Internet version in Russian]. 9 November 2002. R. Nadiroglu and A. Zeynalov. "Political Figures Comment on Potential Unification Among Azerbaijani Opposition Groups." (FBIS-SOV-2002-1129 9 Nov. 2002/WNC)
_____ [Baku, In Russian]. 19 January 2001. R. Azar and Q. Elsad. "Azeri Daily Weighs Up Prospects for New Opposition Bloc." (FBIS-SOV-2001-0119 19 Jan. 2001/WNC)
