Opinion | First they came for the Muslims, and we did not speak out…

The mass arrest of religious Muslims in Azerbaijan is part of a blatant state campaign to control religion and demonise Iran. As such, the deafening silence among Azerbaijani activists and the international community is nothing short of a disgrace. On 7 April, I attended the trial of Nijat Aliyev, a member of the Muslim Union Movement.  Except for a handful of social activists, I could see no one else in the courtroom except for Nijat’s relatives — the sight of whom hurt my heart. While we