Azerbaijan: oppositional protest action dispersed

Today in Baku the police did not allow activists of the "Musavat" Party and political block "Union for Democracy" to hold their protest action in Gusein Dzhavid Park in the Yasamal District of the capital of Azerbaijan. This is reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The rally was appointed at 3:00 p.m. local time. However, an hour before the action, policemen cleared the park of visitors, cordoned it and let nobody in. Detentions of oppositionists also started before the action. As reported by Arif Gadzhily, head of the central office of the "Musavat" Party, at about 2:00 p.m. 5 activists of the youth wing of the "Musavat" Party were detained in the city centre.
Starting from 3:00 p.m., the police detained several groups of oppositionists who were shouting out: "Freedom!" and "Musavat!" at the exit from the metro station "Elmlyar Akademiyasy" and at Gusein Dzhavid Park. "We – all the detainees – were brought to the Yasamal District Police Department. We are 32 persons here," Arif Gadzhily said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by telephone at 3:40 p.m. local time.

The on duty unit of this police department confirmed "detention of a group of persons, who tried to hold a non-authorized action."