Following the murder of a journalist in Azerbaijan, people are taking to the streets in anti-government demonstrations. Despite government warnings against using his death as an excuse to protest, thousands of people turned out, and more mass rallies are promised by the opposition for next week.
Democracy Guy is covering events in Baku as they unfold. He’s optimistic that protests will make an impact, although he worries that they might not be as peaceful as some recent protests around the world:
…in places like Azerbaijan, where oppression and poverty reach nearly North Korean misery, the bravery required to defy this arrogant and thinly veiled warning against protest is rarely seen. And if Azeris do defy this warning from their dear leader, and turn the funeral of this journalist into another street revolution, the response will not be pretty. The color of this revolution won’t be Kiev’s orange, Tbilisi’s rose, or Beirut’s cedar. Baku could turn blood red.
Whatever happens, he’s convinced that Azerbaijan is worth watching:
If I were CNN, I’d be packing someone’s bags for Baku.
Keep watching. Baku could be about to become the media’s next focus of attention…
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