Day 9

FEBRUARY | 2024

Azerbaijan

PRAYER FOR THIS COUNTRY

The snap elections in Azerbaijan delivered the expected result for the incumbent President Ilham Aliyev. The initial poll surveys showed Aliyev losing ground to the opposition. However, after an effective clampdown on the press media in the country, the ruling party freely went after the opposition leadership. A snap election was the best opportunity for the ruling party to return to power with a weakened opposition. In recent years, several 10/40 Window countries abandoned proper electoral practices to seize power by silencing the opposition.

Pray for the President’s family members to have a powerful encounter with the resurrected Christ Jesus like Saul did on the Road to Damascus (The Bible, Acts 9:3-4).

MORE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY

Azerbaijan has been riding the line for years between democracy and fiefdom. Its New Azerbaijan Party is accused of authoritarianism and bribery. It imprisons corruption-busting journalists and human rights advocates. Friction with neighboring Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh disputed territory turned into an outright war from September to November 2020. Though a peace deal was negotiated, relations between the two nations have continued to be tense. Oil export revenues have aided the Azeri population, elevating living standards and increasing military strength. Yet, poverty and corruption plague the nation. The Church experiences ongoing restrictions, especially with raids on church meetings and homes of church leaders, and detentions of Christians continue.

CHIEF OF STATE
President Ilham Aliyev
HEAD OF GOV.
PM Artur Rasizade
POPULATION
9,781,000
CHRISTIANS
2.7%
EVANGLICAL CHRISTIANS
0.2%
DOMINANT RELIGION
Shia Islam
PERSECUTION RANKING
Not Ranked
REFUGEES
628,170
LIFE EXPECTANCY
72.2 yrs
LITERACY RATE
99.8%
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE
6%