'Eurovision Song Festival Azerbaijan: Singing for democracy'

The Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Azerbaijan's capital Baku in late May. Human-rights activists are hoping to point the spotlight at the state of human rights in the country. 

Germany's human rights commissioner, Markus Löning, is outraged. "The last really shocking case I experienced was a journalist I know personally, who was put under pressure," he says. The journalist in question is Khadija Ismailova, who found out what happens if you want to perform research for critical reports on the government in Azerbaijan.

In early March 2012 Ismailova received an anonymous letter containing explicit photos of her and her boyfriend that had apparently been shot with a hidden camera in her apartment. It included a note: "Slut, behave yourself, otherwise you will be exposed." Unfazed, she continued her research, and published the threatening letter. A week later, private videos were published on the Internet. The authorities refused to investigate the case. Löning calls this "unacceptable."

The case of journalist Ismailova is just the latest example, says Hugh Williamson, Director for Europe and Central Asia at rights organization Human Rights Watch. Some six journalists are currently detained in Azerbaijan, and the number has increased in the course of the last year. Williamson describes how the Azerbaijan justice system intimidates journalists: "A journalist who works for Iranian media was invited to a police station to answer some questions. He was told to take off his jacket. He went to another room. When he returned, he discovered a small quantity of drugs in his jacket."


For more: 'Singing for democracy' | Europe | DW.DE | 18.04.2012

Eurovison Song Festival 2012: The 10 finalists first rehearsal on the stage in Globen

Today, Thursday, the Swedish finalists will rehearse on stage in the Globen arena for the first time.

Also tonight, the Russian national selection took place in the concert hall Academic, Moscow. 25 talented artists fought for the honour to represent Russia in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku.

Buranovskiye Babushki won the hearts of the TV viewers and jurors with their song Party For Everybody! Thus, they scored the highest number of points and won the Russian national final.

For more: Eurovision

Eurovision Song festival: Listen to the Irish contenders today

Today you can listen to the five songs that are in contention to represent Ireland in this year's Eurovision Song Contest. They will be unveiled on RTÉ's Radio 1 show Mooney at 16:00 CET. The winning act will be selected on EuroSong 2012 on The Late, Late Show on Friday 24th February, by a combination of public and regional jury voting.

For more: Listen to the Irish contenders today | News | Eurovision Song Contest - Baku 2012

Israel to vote for Turkey at Eurovision Song Contest 2012

It is unclear whether Israel and Turkey will improve their relations in the near future, but it is obvious that Israeli TV-watchers will vote for Turkish singer Can Bonomo at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku in May 2012.

The popular rock singer Bonomo will represent Turkey at the contest. The 25-year old singer is of Jewish origin and has visited Israel on numerous occasions, he has many relatives living there. Moreover, he will sing a Jewish song at the contest. All Israeli media sources published information about the singer’s part in the contest with a short biography. Bonomo was born in Izmir, he started playing guitar when he was 8. He became popular as a singer, host of Radio 101 and the Turkish channel MTV.

The press secretary of the United Natives of Turkey in Israel, Rafael Saadi, said Bonomo’s Jewish origin was not a problem to represent Turkey. It proves that Turkish-Israeli social relations are above political ones. Saadi added that they are proud of the singer and would vote for him just as any Israelis would.

For more: Israel to vote for Turkey at Eurovision Song Contest 2012 | Vestnik Kavkaza