Government launches crackdown

Hundreds of opposition activists have today tried to hold a public meeting in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.

When the meeting began to scan slogans for free elections, the police started to beat them severely and detained several participants. Dozens sustained bodily harm during the dispersal.

In his comment on what was going on to Caucasian Knot, Ali Kerimli, chairman of the People's Front of Azerbaijan party, said, "What happened today has shown the government is not ready to conduct democratic elections, but they want to usurp power again. The international community should exert pressure on Azerbaijan, as the country is on its way to authoritarianism. The authorities have today especially cruelly suppressed a peaceful action of thousands of people whose slogan was 'Free elections.' More than 300 people were arrested, including ten women, and deputy chairmen of the party were beaten, including a member of parliament. The opposition did not use violence against violence. We will continue such actions."

The police also cruelly beat activists of the Democratic Party near the U.S. Embassy in Baku. Several oppositionists were arrested there, too. The police also snatched out portraits of U.S. President George W. Bush the oppositionists were carrying.

The Baku authorities had previously refused to sanction the opposition meeting in connection with preparations for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline commissioning ceremony which is on 25 May to involve the presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Kazakhstan, as well as high-ranking representatives of 30 countries.

• Human rights defenders concerned

More about freedom of assembly in Azerbaijan:

• Human Rights Practices in Azerbaijan - 2004