Azerbaijan: Baku Mayoralty bans "Musavat" picket

The picket planned by the oppositional "Musavat" Party on April 6 in front of the building of the executive authority of the city of Baku with a demand to ensure the freedom of assembly was reappointed to April 14. This was stated by Arif Gadjily, head of the central office of the "Musavat" Party.

According to Mr Gadjily, on Monday, April 5, his Party received an answer from the Baku Mayoralty to their notification about the picket. "The city bosses refused to sanction the picket. They found it 'inexpedient' and gave absurd arguments that mass actions would be allowed in the course of the campaign to the parliamentary elections to be held this November," Mr Gadjily told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The oppositionist said that the reasons of the Baku Mayoralty "were absolutely ungrounded, as mass actions are held not only because of elections but are one of citizens' constitutional rights." "Citizens have the right to hold pickets, rallies and demonstrations whenever they wish," the "Musavat" leader said.

At the same time, as Mr Gadjily has noted, his party decided not to go to a non-sanctioned action on April 6. "We decided to wait. This week, the Baku-based OSCE office plans to hold a roundtable with participation of the authorities and oppositionists right on the issue of the citizens' right to the freedom of assembly. In view of the forthcoming dialogue the board of the "Musavat" Party has made a decision to reappoint the picket to April 14," he said.

He did not exclude that if the picket on April 14 was not sanctioned either, the Party would hold a non-sanctioned action.

The office of the Baku Mayoralty has confirmed that the April 6 "Musavat" picket was not sanctioned; however, they refrained from giving the reasons.