From streets to cyberspace

They have battled the police in streets and fought the authority in courts. Now, faced with an 80-fold hike in fines for unauthorised demonstrations, Azerbaijani anti-government activists are turning to Facebook.

They hope a social media-based strategy will re-invigorate the movement. About 54.5 per cent of Azerbaijanis have Internet access and 900,000 of them are Facebook users.

Tural Abbasli, chairperson of the opposition Musavat Party’s youth organisation, says, “Protests in cyberspace will involve more people. They will move back to the streets. This time more aggressive, more difficult to control.”