Bloggers at Azerbaijan Media Center following their release from prison. Photo collage: AMC

Two Azerbaijani bloggers, Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizadeh were joyously reunited with family and friends in November following seventeen months of imprisonment 

By Gulnara Akhundova

The IMS-supported Azerbaijan Media Center (AMC), which hosted numerous events in support of Azerbaijani bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizadeh during their time in prison, is now rolling out a new phase of events with a focus on freedom of expression and blogging. 

Dangerous mind, dangerous job                                      

On 8 July 2009, Emin Milli and another Azeri youth activist and blogger Adnan Hajizade were assaulted by two men in a restaurant in downtown Baku. Milli and Hajizadeh went to file a complaint about the assault, but were instead detained by the police who charged them both with hooliganism. Adnan Hajizadeh was sentenced to two years in prison, Emin Milli to two and a half.

Following their release last month, Milli and Hajizadeh went live on the AMC-produced weekly online talk show where they spoke about their time in prison and their future plans.

- During those seventeen months we passed through dozens of trials, all unfair, and there was no sign that the next trial would change anything, said Adnan Hajizadeh when asked whether he expected to be set free.

- You can expect anything when you live in a country like Azerbaijan, stated Milli, whose release happened the day after Hajizadeh's release.

Nearly a month after the Parliamentary Elections, the moderator of the talk show could not keep herself from asking the bloggers about the elections. Hajizadeh said the election was well-administered. He also mentioned that there was not sufficient voter education and propaganda activities in the prison. The fact that Hajizadeh voted against all the candidates, however, means that he has lost faith in the elections.

- It was worth it to go and vote, not least because it was an opportunity for some fresh air, Adnan Hajizadeh said.

The bloggers were asked about their plans for the future.

- Life is going on, said Milli.

- I will continue my public activities and will try to achieve what I had planned before I was imprisoned, he noted. During his prison sentence, Milli applied for admission to a university in the United States, and he is now waiting for the response, to fulfill his dream of getting a US education.

Adnan Hajizadeh said he would concentrate on his health, which may have been damaged by the conditions in the prison, which is surrounded stone quarry sites.

Blogging : Experiments or Real Journalism?

In recent days, following two bloogers’ release, the debate regarding the differences between blogging and journalism has re-emerged. The debate essentially boils down to a larger question of the identity of bloggers. Are they journalists?

AMC is one of those instiutions trying to find the answer. At a debate recently organised by AMC, Adnan Hajizadeh stated that without any ambition to be called a journalist, his mission is to spread information to his audience.

One of the key speakers, Mursal Aliyev, a representative of the traditional, mainstream media, said it’s not enough just to open a blog to become a journalist.

- Yesterday you kept a diary, today you run a blog. I can’t call this journalism, he stated.

Another blogging star, Ali Novruzov, stuck to his guns arguing the bloggers are those who contribute to the public debate with responsible journalism.

In digital storytelling, many professional journalists would be wise to study and learn from the best bloggers like Novruzov whose stories are quite popular both inside and outside Azerbaijan.

Novruzov, Hajizadeh and Milli are among those who have been providing timely and unbiased information to their audiences. Does it mean they are journalists? Though well-attended by representatives of media organisations and youth activists, the debate did not provide a concrete answer.

So, the question is still open and it signals further debate and discussions in this field.