AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION STAGES PROTEST IN BAKU

Tert.am
10.04.12

Opposition supporters in Azerbaijan have staged an antigovernment rally
in Baku, calling for reforms, and also demanding the resignation of
the country’s authoritarian President Ilham Aliyev.

According to the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
(RFE/RL), the protesters also demanded the release of a dozen political
activists detained during antigovernment protests last year.

The demonstration on April 8 was the first that have been sanctioned
by Azerbaijani authorities after similar protests last year ended in
a violent government crackdown.

Organizers of the rally claimed that more than 10,000 people took
part in the demonstration. Baku police, however, put the number of
protesters at around 1,200.

A statement by Baku police said the protesters were members and
supporters of several opposition movements, including the Azerbaijan
Popular Front Party, (APFP), Musavat (Equality), and the People’s
Party, as well as several nongovernmental organizations and youth
groups.

Ali Kerimli, the leader of the APFP made a speech at the rally calling
for greater freedoms in the country.

“The Azerbaijani government led by Ilham Aliyev is carrying out
a policy that has been destroying the Azerbaijani opposition, and
stifling independent voices – by banning demonstrations – over the
past seven years,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress