Friday Wrap-up: individual protest, hunger strike and rise on prices
Published: 14 January 2022 19:33
The week of January 10-14 in Azerbaijan saw activist Giyas Ibrahimov holding an one-man protest, journalist Polad Aslanov starting a hunger strike in custody and how the rise on bread prices is affecting Azerbaijani people.
Activist tries to set himself on fire in front of the Presidential Administration
Activist Giyas Ibrahimov held a protest in front of the Presidential Administration on January 7.
The reason behind it is the fact that the Azerbaijani government has not paid him the compensation set by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), result of his complaint.
Ibrahimov poured gasoline on the steps of the Presidential Administration. Police in front of the building prevented him from setting himself on fire. The activist was beaten and taken to the 9th Police Station.
Journalist sentenced to 16 years in prison begins a hunger strike
Journalist Polad Aslanov, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges of treason, has begun a hunger strike in custody. This was reported to Meydan TV by his wife Gulmira Aslanova.
Polad Aslanov has been in custody since June 12, 2019. The journalist, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, was found guilty of treason. The materials of the criminal case claim that Aslanov secretly cooperated with the Iranian special services, held meetings with them abroad, passed information and received money in return.
He denies all allegations and does not plead guilty, adding that he has been condemned for his critical journalistic work, especially for writing about DTX (State Security Service) employees taking bribes from companies that organize pilgrims’ visits.
Does the increase on wages compensates for the rise on the price of bread and other food products in Azerbaijan?
During an interview on December 12, President Ilham Aliyev affirmed that the rise on prices in Azerbaijan is inevitable. But, according to him, it will not be a big problem since the increase on pensions and wages this year can be seen as compensation for the rise in bread prices.
Economists, however, disagree. They expect that the rise on wheat products will be larger than the increase in wages and other social benefits, predicting a challenging year ahead of Azerbaijani citizens.
To discover if the salary of citizens really covers their basic needs, Meydan TV went to the streets of Baku to ask its residents directly. While some complained that they barely cannot buy bread any more, most of people admitted to be in financial distress and that the raise in wages is not enough to cover basic needs. The mismatch between prices and income seems to be an issue every citizen is facing at the moment.