EurasiaNet, NY
March 11 2009

AZERBAIJAN: AZERI-ARMENIAN GAY ROMANCE WITHDRAWN FROM BOOKSTORES
3/11/09

After only a few weeks in circulation, the bestseller
Azerbaijani-Armenian gay romance novel "Artush and Zaur" has been
withdrawn from Baku bookstores amid growing controversy about the
work.

In an interview with the Azeri-language Radio Liberty, author Alekper
Aliyev stated that Baku police had questioned him about the
novelâ??s references to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. A
presentation of the novel, scheduled for March 11, was abruptly
canceled.