15:00, 28 May 2011

Azerbaijani opposition to hold rally on June 19

At its session held on Friday, the oppositional Public Chamber of Azerbaijan made a decision to hold a new rally on June 19.

The demands of the opposition remain the same: resignation of the government; reform of the electoral legislation and holding new parliamentary elections based thereon; ensuring full freedom of assembly; implementation of fundamental changes in the political sphere; and release of activists arrested for participation in the previous oppositional rallies.

The oppositionists decided to hold a rally on June 19 at 3:00 p.m. in front of the "Nariman Narimanov" Cinema in Baku, the "News Azerbaijan" reports.

Ali Akhmedov, executive secretary of the ruling party "Eni Azerbaijan", was sceptical about the opposition's prospects to hold a mass rally. "In Azerbaijan, there is no 'pro-rally sentiments'; people are busy with their everyday activities," he said in his comments on the decision of the Public Chamber.

"Regardless of the format, no union of the opposition will be stronger than their April actions," the "Trend" Agency quotes Ali Akhmedov as saying.