A “dress rehearsal” failed in October 2003, when the opposition, incapable of uniting around a single candidate to challenge Ilham in the presidential election, declared the results to have been falsified and called people into the streets. Only several hundred showed up, and the police quickly dispersed them, arresting dozens.
但这样一个计划在阿塞拜疆能够奏效吗？2003年10月的“尝试演练”未获成功，因为当时的反对党未能团结在唯一的候选人周围，在总统选举中向伊尔哈姆提出挑战。反对派宣布选举结果有假，号召人们上街游行。只有几百人响应了号召，但他们很快就被警察驱散，还有数十人遭到逮捕。