In Baku, police disperses oppositional protesters

Attempt of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC) to hold today a protest action, demanding to ensure freedom of assembly and release of convicted oppositionists, resulted in clashes between opposition supporters and police, and detention of protesters.

At about 1:00 p.m. local time, a group of oppositionists, consisting of about 200-250 persons, gathered at the shopping centre "Khagani" in the centre of Baku. From there, the protesters moved to nearby Square of Fountains, chanting the slogans: "Democracy!", "Freedom!", "Resign!" They held in their hands posters with photographs of 12 convicted opposition activists recognized by the organization "Amnesty International" as "prisoners of conscience".

The demonstrators made several circles around the fountains and headed towards the Baku Mayoralty to hold a picket there. Police squads tried to stop the participants of the protest action; however, the oppositionists managed to break through to Istiglaliyyet (Independence) Street. However, near the Sabir Park, the arrived fast response regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) stopped the rapid response the protesters and began to detain them. Meanwhile, the detainees were forced into buses removed from their city routes and into police cars, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The rally was not over at that time. The group of oppositionists went from the Sabir Park down towards the cinema and then headed towards the Puppet Theatre located in Primorsky Boulevard. However, there, clashes between the participants of the protest action and the police occurred again.

All that events were witnessed by numerous foreign journalists, who arrived in Baku to highlight the song contest "Eurovision 2012".

During today's protest action, dozens of people, including opposition leaders, were detained. In particular, Gezal Bairamly and Nureddin Mamedli, Deputy Chairmen of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), and Abulfaz Gurbanly, the head of the youth organization of the PFPA, were detained.

The press service of the Chief Police Department of the city of Baku motivated dispersal of the protest action and detention of its participants by the fact that it had not been sanctioned by the authorities.