The youth of Azerbaijan became the special target of the authorities for political motives. During the pre and post-election period there was paid special attention to the political affiliation of students. According to the numerous reports received from the students, the institutional administration urged the students to attend the demonstrations of the ruling party, while prohibiting and making obstacles for their participation in pro-oppositional rallies. (18-DEC-2005)

The activists of Youth Organizations organized the hunger strike to protest pressure on students. There were the cases, when the students were pressured and threatened for their political affiliation, but the special concern caused the cases when the students were expelled from the universities. 

Hunger Strike of Activists of Youth Organizations
The activists the activists of youth organizations in Azerbaijan made a hunger strike for four days from 12-16 December. The four youth activists made the strike in the office of “Yeni Fikir” demanding to rehabilitate Turan Aliyev, expelled from the IV course of the Baku State University for his political views. Among the strikers was the activist of youth branch of the Popular Front party Fahri Abdulazimov, the member of “Yeni Fikir” Movement Sarvan Sarkhanov and the member of “Magam!” Movement Asif Aliyev. They demand to stop persecution of students for political views, to stop repression against youth.   The participants stopped the hunger strike after being promised by a group of human rights activists to deliver their demands to the Minister of Education and to obtain rehabilitation of Aliyev´s rights.

the Statement of Azerbaijani Students’ Movement
On the 14-th of December the Azerbaijani Students’ Movement made a statement with the call to stop the pressure on students on political motives.

Discrimination and pressure on students for their political opinions and violation of their Constitutional rights have become an ordinary practice, reads statement. Considering the current situation, the movement demands to lift ban on participation of students of state and private universities in political actions and restore rights of Turan Aliyev “illegally” sent down from Baku State University. The movement also protests at actions of Bahlul Agayev, rector of Pedagogical University, violating students´ rights and demands to stop harassment of Namig Feizullayev, coordinator of Yeni Fikir organization. The movement urges youth organizations, representatives of diplomatic missions, international organizations and Azerbaijani students to express their attitude towards these requirements.