Analysis: Bloggers' trial in Azerbaijan

Bloggers' trial has been once again delayed - such runs the latest (and repeating) news from the court hearings of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, two youth activists and video-bloggers from Azerbaijan. Emin and Adnan were assaulted and detained on July 8th, more than 100 days ago while dining in a downtown restaurant. Subsequently, they were accused of hooliganism, received a two-month pretrial detention and it is already two months that Sabayel District Court of Baku is hearing their case.

Court session today, on 27 October ended with a delay till 6 November. Previous hearing was on 13 October and it was also postponed. The preparatory session itself was held on 4 September while actual hearing began on 16 September. Not to mention that the investigation took more than 40 days and was concluded on 22 August. Altogether, it is the 112th day that the law machinery of Azerbaijan is considering what to do with two bloggers. So, why the process which is thought to be fair and quick is actually being dragged on and on? Why a simple case about hooliganism is so time-consuming?

Thus, the answer is also simple - this case is not about "ordinary hooliganism" any more. It is about face-saving for the government who had employed wrong PR specialists and it seems that a final decision about measures to be applied to Emin and Adnan is not clear yet. Well, possibly there was already a decision, but huge international pressure mounted on Azerbaijan these days sent that decision into the archives of the history. That is, the telephone of the judge hasn't ringed yet (and thanks to Open Democracy for the term).

The government which initiated the case now is facing a dilemma. If Emin and Adnan are convicted that would be a disgrace for the Azerbaijani government in the eyes of international community - for German Ombudsman Günter Nooke, Swedish FM Carl Bildt, Peter Semneby of the EU, Miklós Haraszti of OSCE, as well as groups of British MPs and US Congressmen, and finally Hillary Clinton personally asked for fair trial. During her recent visit to Baku, top ranking US diplomat Tina Kaidenow vis-à-vis interviewed a witness of the incident. Plus, numerous human rights organisations, including top UN human rights body have criticized the case.

If Emin and Adnan are released, then it is a blow to the reputation of the government inside, in the eyes of its numerous servants and as well as the dissidents and oppositioners. Something that can give a wrong message that as if they are not tough guys anymore. As if they have been weakened, possibly by economic crisis or international pressure. The "manhood" of the government can get damaged. A kind of traditional oriental politics. Then, what to do with this and this and this and this and this?

What is for sure at the moment is that the court hearing of Emin and Adnan's case has been turned into a parody of justice and it is creating really a bad image for the Azerbaijani government. Ladies and gentlemen, what is tarnishing is not the moral and strength of all those liberal, nationalist and red youth - and I can see this as an outside observer - but the last remnants of legitimacy and esteem of your power, of your courts and of your justice. This dough has taken too much water, our elders would say...