Summary of Human Rights and Political Developments in Azerbaijan (December 21-30)
The final week of the year was marked by a series of dramatic developments in Azerbaijan. In particular, the Azerbaijani Manat lost half its value on December 21, after the country’s Central Bank scrapped the currency's dollar peg amid sharp declines in the price of oil. While the previous devaluation in February had caused an outcry among opposition parties and independent experts, this time the general public rushed to express their discontent.
“This is such a disaster for us,” said one Baku resident...