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Eurovision, running scared when the musicdies

Arzu Geybullayeva

22 May 2012

This week, Baku hosts the mostexpensive Eurovision song contestever. The government sees it as achance to boost its image abroad, whilehuman rights activists see it as a

unique chance to put in the spotlightthe dire state of democracy in thecountry

Azerbaijan’s duo Ell and Nikki camefirst in the last year’s Eurovision songcontest with their hit song “Running

”. The duo was competingScaredagainst 43 other countries in a celebrated song contest that has been on prime-timetelevision across Europe, hosted in a different country each year, for several decades.For many contestants, winning Eurovision - a kitschy pop song TV competition –doesn't mean much, but not so for countries like Azerbaijan: the winner gets to hostthe contest in their home country the next year. In the history of the Eurovisioncontest, the country is topping spending records ($75.5 million USD), surpassingprevious years’ hosts Russia ($40 to 44 million USD) and Norway ($37 million USD).This year, Azerbaijan's contestant is Sabina Babayeva who will perform the song “

”. Visitors who will be in Baku during this glitzy song contest areWhen the Music Diesgoing to see the capital full of bright lights, brand-named boutique shops, lavishrestaurants, and black jeeps speeding on the streets of the capital. But one wondershow well all of this glitz and glamour represents the real Azerbaijan, as it certainlydoesn't reflect the reality of most residents.

A song contest at the people's expense

A report released in January of this year by Freedom House ranked Azerbaijan as “not” with an overall deteriorating trend in political rights and liberties. Human Rightsfree

Watch disseminated a earlier this month addressing the country’s appallingvideohuman rights record. Its press freedom record isn't any brighter: Azerbaijan ranked162nd out of 179 countries on the Reporters Without Borders' "Press Freedom Index."According to Amnesty International, there are 14 “prisoners of conscience” as of April

2012, but more would fall under this definition if its terms were broader. Persistentpressure is applied on human rights defenders and lawyers. On its "CorruptionPerception Index," Transparency International gives the country a score of 2.4 out of 

, with 10 being the least corrupt, placing the country alongside Russia, Nigeria, and10Belarus. International broadcasters such as the BBC and Radio Liberty lost rights to

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their radio frequencies in the country in 2009. Current President Ilham Aliyev (whoreplaced his father in 2003) abolished presidential term limits via referendum in 2009.The most recent parliamentary elections in 2010 were described as a by HumanfarceRights House, with no opposition party members winning seats.

And amidst all of this, Azerbaijan boasts of it modernity in widely-distributedand in public statements made abroad, conveniently forgetting toself-promo videos

mention anything about the illegal evictions that have been carried out systematically

over the last three years, especially in the main downtown Baku area, in order tomake way for new construction projects (some 4000 houses were demolished in total)and the so-called “city beautification” projects. Nor do any of the materialspromoshow beaten and hospitalized journalists, arrested political prisoners, andactivists...all taking place in a country that has pledged to guarantee freedom of speech as a member of the Council of Europe.

Who doesn’t have arrested journalists and bloggers behind bars?

Ali Hasanov, a senior official in Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration, recently ledthe country’s delegation to a meeting held in Geneva organized by the EuropeanBroadcasting Union. The event brought together Azerbaijani officials andrepresentatives of the civil society. During the meeting, Hasanov admitted that

 journalists in Azerbaijan face a dire situation, as does the state of freedom of thepress. However, he referred to the international outcry as too . “Which countryharshdoes not have the problems you see here [in Azerbaijan]? Which country does nothave a blogger behind bars?” Hasanov is among many government officials claimingthat the Eurovision song contest is unjustly .politicized

In contrast to Ali Hasanov, activists across the country claim the uproar is justified. Aparallel initiative, launched in the lead-up to Eurovision broadcast in Azerbaijan andcalled , is working fiercely to uncover the truth about theSing For Democracycountry’s deteriorating human rights and free press situation. Its core founders areseveral human rights organizations based in Azerbaijan including the Human RightsClub, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, the Institute for Peace andDemocracy, and Alliance for Defense of Political Freedoms. There are another 30 localnon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and over a dozen international human rightswatchdogs supporting the initiative at home and abroad. They are pushing for an"alternative information center" to keep foreign visitors informed of the reality on theground in Azerbaijan in the run-up and during the contest. And yet, the region’s

largest and richest capital shows little concern for this initiative, brushing off theinternational criticism for its roughshod treatment of the local media and politicalcritics. Not surprisingly, the ruling family is also linked to the organization of thecontest: the country's chic, fasion-icon first lady is in charge of the organizingcommittee and the president's son-in-law, a pop singer, will be performing during theconcert.

The Eurovision venue

Baku Crystal Hall - a complete glass and steel concert hall to seat 23,000 and builtexclusively for the contest cost local authorities an astonishing $134 million USD.According to a , part of the funds to build the venuespending review published by Tolwere already earmarked in the budget for renovating water and sanitation systems inAzerbaijan's region and for increasing salaries and pensions.

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Described by Leyla Aliyeva, daughter of the Azerbaijani president, it is “unlikeanything seen before” with “an amazing seaside panorama”. The hall is located on theCaspian Sea east of National Flag Square with a 162-meter flagpole. The constructionof the hall came at a high price, but not for the local authorities. Baku officialsordered the demolition of hundreds of homes around the concert hall and thesurrounding area. These claims however were quickly by the Azerbaijandismissedauthorities as being part of larger infrastructural city development project (similar to

the ). After the concert hall was completed, an article incity beautification projectRadio Free Europe Radio Liberty exposed a linkage between the Presidential familyand the construction of the hall. According to the article, the family profited from theconstruction of the venue “through its hidden ownership in the Azenco constructioncompany”.

Political thaw is only temporary

As the city is getting ready to host one of the most-watched and televised events inEurope, local opposition parties and activists have been pushing their own demands:the immediate release of political prisoners, freedom of assembly, resignation of thepresident and all members of the current regime, and more. In one of the mostrecent attempts to publicly voice these demands, opposition party members and

supporters organized an unsanctioned rally in the capital on (anyMay 14th

demonstrations organized outside of the ruling government’s patronage are allowedonly outside of the capital's city center). The rally was dispersed by the local policeand several of the demonstrators were arrested.

The main organizer of these small-scale demonstrations is a group known as thePublic Chamber (Civic Movement for Democracy Public Chamber). The chamber unitessome of the veteran opposition figures and those who are dissatisfied with the currentregime. It was formed following the parliamentary elections in 2010, having failed tosecure any seats in the parliament. The Public Chamber will also set up a press centerduring Eurovision to inform the international audience of what is really happening onthe ground in the country. However, while some of these demonstrations arehappening, human rights advocates and activists at home fear that the clap downswill intensify after Eurovision is over and international attention shifts elsewhere.

But beyond the protests and rallies, the atmosphere in the capital is festive. The city’sresidents look forward to the concert. In a released by one of the local on-linevideo

news outlets, people only speak positively and with much enthusiasm. “I amexpecting a fantastic show and unforgettable moments,” says a young man in thevideo. Another respondent claims that this is going to be “the best show in the historyof Eurovision”.

Today starts the Eurovision song contest. Thousands, if not millions, of visitors willgather in Baku and in front of their TV screens to watch the competition at the CrystalHall. Many will watch it inattentively, thinking about the costumes, the performersand their songs. Many will either visit or hear about Azerbaijan for the first time. Butthe glamour and charm of hand-made carpets, the soft sounds of mugham, and

delicious cuisine are only façades covering the bitter reality of a country where people'run scared' from much more than a simple pop song.

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