Azerbaijan, the land of the Azeris. Few days back, a French street artist, Theo Clerc was given pardon after spending more than a year in Azerbaijan prison. He was arrested for painting a grafitti in its capital Baku. Azerbaijan also shut down four UN offices in the country including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In 2024, Azerbaijani authorities led a crackdown on critics of the government arresting politicians, journalists and activists.
An important strategic piece of land in the South Caucasus between the Black sea and the Caspian sea. Azerbaijan shares its borders with five countries – Russia (North), Iran (South), Armenia (West), Turkey and Georgia (North West). Azerbaijanis also reclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh region belonging to the ethnic Armenians in 2020.
A crucial ally of Turkey and Israel, Azerbaijan also backs Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir. Not surprising, when Pakistan is the only nation in the world which does not recognize the sovereignty of Armenia, the arch rival of Azerbaijan.
After the break up of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijan had a brief period of independence from 1918 to April 1920 and was called the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic . But again in April 1920, Russian army invaded Azerbaijan and it was declared as Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1991, after the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan became an independent country.
Azerbaijan reflects a confluence of European and Asian culture. This confluence of cultures is quite prominent in the multicultural aspects of the country. Its capital Baku, a landmark ancient city which once supplied more than half of the oil requirement of the world belongs to a diverse group of people , a cultural phenomenon.
What is special about Azerbaijan ?
Ethnicity : Majority of people in Azerbaijan, that is, around 91% belong to a distinct group called the Azeris. This is the main Ethnic group that binds the nation together. Because the Azeris form the majority of the population, there is a consistent unity among the people with extremely low ethnic tensions. Unlike the African countries and Middleast where Ethnic divisions led to widespread violence and terrorism. Ethnic composition of Azerbaijan gives it a strong foundation to its National identity. But the politics in Azerbaijan is authoritarian in nature controlled by the President Ilham Aliyev and his family.
History : Modern day Azebaijan had its origins rooted in the Kingdom of Caucasian Albania. Its Capital Qabala was a centre of trade. Locals of this kingdom were influenced by the ancient faith of Zoroastrianism. But in the 3rd Century CE, the Sassanid Persians invaded the Kingdom and captured it. King Urnayr brought the kingdom under Christianity and shifted towards Armenia. This was when the Caucasian Kingdom became a Christian State.
But 7th Century CE saw the conquest by the Arabs and the rise of Islam in this Kingdom. Islamic rule of Sajids and Shirvanshahs dominated the 9th century reflecting Persian glory. 11th Century brought in the Seljuk Turks and with them the Oghuz tribes. This led to a mix of Caucasian and Turkic roots and the birth of the Azeris.
Invasion of Mongols in the 13th century caused massive destruction. However, Persian Safavids restored the legacy of the region and ushered an era of Shia Islam which persists in Azerbaijan even today.
A new story unfolded in the 19th Century that was pivotal to the formation of Azerbaijan. Russians invaded the Persian Empire. Russo-Persian wars of 1804-1813 and 1826-1828 in which the Persian Empire faced heavy defeat, led to the signing of treaties like Gulistan and Turkmenchay. This led to the ceding of Azerbaijani lands (land belonging to the Azeris) north of the Aras river to Russia which later became Azerbaijan. The southern territories of the Azeris, south of the Aras river remained with the Persian Empire. Thus, even today, Iran has a significant Azeri population.
Secularism : Azerbaijan strictly follows secularism with heavy monitoring of religious issues by the government. Majority of the population belong to the Twelver Shia sect of Islam. But the Azerbaijani people put their national identity first. Azerbaijani identity surpass any personal religious identification in the country. As 91% people belong to Azeri ethnicity, there is a strong ethnic bonding in Azerbaijan unlike other Shia majority country in the middle east.
Salafism in Azerbaijan
It is reported that at the time of Azerbaijan influence in 1991, Wahhabi Institutions found their way into the country under the pretext of providing charity and financial assistance to people. Saudi Arabia began to promote Wahabi ideologies in Azerbaijan by inviting Azerbaijan youth into the Islamic University of Madinah. Educated students from the Islamic University of Madinah then promoted Wahhabism back in Azerbaijan. There have been rumours that the Azerbaijani itself pushed Saudi influence in Azerbaijan while restricting religious customs of the Shiite in some places.
However, the government of Azerbaijan has maintained a strong state policy against Islamist extremism within the the country. In 2008, Azerbaijan government closed down a Mosque in Baku known for spreading Wahhabi ideologies after a clash broke out and a grenade exploded. Any influence or linkage of radical ideas under the guise of religious discourse is not allowed. Azerbaijan government has developed a robust state control to deter any foreign influence from the middle east countries.
