In Baku, April 17 protesters punished with arrests and fines

On April 18, in Azerbaijan, 6 participants of the opposition protest rally on April 17 in Baku were sentenced to administrative arrest; 9 persons were fined, and 8 oppositionists were warned and released.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that lawyer Vidali Iskenderov, a member of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC), was sentenced to 15 days in jail; Fakhraddin Abbasly, leader of the Sumgait branch of the "Musavat" Party, will spend 7 days in custody. Four other oppositionists, including Gezal Bairamova, deputy chair of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), were sentenced to 5 days of arrest. All of them were found guilty of disobeying the police.

Nine other detainees, as reported by Gyulyaga Aslanly, an activist of the CMDPC, were fined administratively by 50-100 manats (60-120 US dollars). Moreover, 8 other oppositionists, including the former MP Panakh Gusein, were released after issuance of warnings.

In total, on April 17, according to the CMDPC, about 200 oppositional activists and their supporters were detained. "In relation to several protesters physical pressure was admitted. They were beaten in police buses and at stations. Besides, a large group of detainees were taken away out of city and let free there," Mr Aslanly said.

The list of 99 detainees was published by the oppositional newspaper "Azadlyg". However, according to Aslanly, many protesters did not wish to be mentioned in the list, because they feared possible problems at the institutions where they work.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan, on April 17 some 150 persons took part in the unsanctioned oppositional rally in Baku; 65 persons were detained.

The actions of 40 of them were recorded in protocols by territorial police divisions and submitted to courts for passing administrative punishments. The 25 detainees were warned and released.

According to the MP Mubariz Gurbanly, deputy executive secretary of the ruling Party "Eni Azerbaijan" (PEA), "the attempt on April 17 to hold a rally in Park 'Sakhil' was a final collapse of the radical opposition."

According to his story, all whom the opposition had managed to bring together, a few dozens of people.