Azerbaijan: two oppositionists arrested for 10 day, two more fined

In total, 32 participants of the Saturday's protest action in Baku, organized by the "Musavat" Party and the political block "Union for Democracy", were detained; the cases of six of them were sent to the court. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Arif Gadzhily, head of the central office of the "Musavat".

According to the decision of the Nasimin District Court of Baku passed late at night on June 12, two participants of the action - Ramiz Khalilov, chairman of the Lachi district organization of the "Musavat" Party, and Abulfaz Gurbanly, head of the youth branch of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) were punished by administrative arrest of 10 days each.

Tural Abbasly, head of the youth organization of the "Musavat", and his deputy Ahad Mamedli were fined by the court by 25 manats (about 30 dollars) each.

Arif Gadzhily and an activist of his party Tofig Yagublu were warned by the court.

Mr Gadzhily treated the actions of the police as "a rough violation of citizens' constitutional right to the freedom of assembly."

The action was supposed in Gusein Dzhavid Park in the Yasamal District of Baku. However, the police did not allow activists of the opposition to enter the park: it was cordoned one hour before the start of the action. Groups of oppositionists were detained at the metro station "Elmlyar Akademiyasy" and directly near the Gusein Dzhavid Park.

"Despite the repressive police measures, we believe that the action was a success. We draw attention another time to suppression of political freedoms in Azerbaijan. Plenty of policemen had not frightened citizens; they went out into streets and voiced out their slogans and claims. We managed to read out the resolution of the picket," said Gadzhily.

The resolution states that "home and foreign policy of the government, falsification of elections and total corruption create a serious danger for the Azerbaijani statehood."

The participants of the action demanded from the authorities to hold on November 7 "fair parliamentary elections." For this purpose, in their opinion, the freedom of assembly, formation of electoral commissions on the parity basis of the authorities and the opposition should be guaranteed; any persecution of the opposition and independent media should be stopped; and TV channels should be brought out of the complete control of the authorities.

In his turn, Ekhsan Zakhidov, deputy head of the MIA's press service, said that the action was stopped by the police because it was not sanctioned by the executive power of the city.