In Baku, youth activists demanding cancellation of Flowers Holiday are arrested

Youth activists who plan to hold a protest action on May 10 against the Flower Holiday traditionally held on this date in Baku are detained. The protesters find the holiday inappropriate in the context of the grief for the victims of the April 30 massacre at the Azerbaijani State Oil Academy.

Arrests started after the meeting of leaders of youth organizations and students in the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA). At the meeting, activists of some youth organizations and youth branches of oppositional parties made a decision to hold the protest in peaceful form.

Right after the meeting, persons in civilian, in the area of the railway station of Baku, detained and taken away in an unknown direction Abulfaz Gurbanly, leader of the youth organization of the Party of the People's Front of Azerbaijan.

At night on May 9, Elvin Dadashov, a member of this organization, and activists of the youth branch of the "Musavat" Party Murad Kerimov and Akhad Mamedli were detained. In the morning on May 9 it became known about detention of Tural Abbasly, chairman of the youth organization "Musavat" and several more activists. One of the country's MPs told about it to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The MIA and district police departments refrain from any comments.