In Baku, campaigners of "Sing for Democracy" hold walking rally

Tonight, in the centre of Baku, activists held a walking rally to attract attention of city residents and foreign visitors, who arrived in Azerbaijan to watch the song contest "Eurovision 2012", to the problems with democracy in the country. The protesters wore white T-shirts with slogans reading: "Sing for Democracy".

The protest action started at 7:30 p.m. at the "McDonald's" Cafe in Fountain Square, where about 40 young people and about the same number of local and foreign journalists gathered.

When young people headed towards the boulevard, the police stopped them and asked them to disperse. A Police Major invited young people "to change their clothes and walk in peace." However, the protesters stated that they did not violate the law and continued walking. In Aziz Aliev Street, they tried to go to the boulevard; however, policemen blocked their way, and activists made a circle in Fountain Square and returned to the cafe. All that time, they were accompanied by the policemen.

When the participants of the protest action returned to the "McDonalds" Cafe, police in uniform left the territory. After that, without any obstacles, the demonstrators went to the boulevard. By that time, the number of the protesters reached about 100 persons. The young people walked along the boulevard from the building of the Puppet Theatre to "Azneft" Square, having passed about 500 meters.

A large number of tourists in the boulevard looked with interest at the group of young men in white and read the inscriptions on their shirts. Some people expressed their support by approving gestures.

At the end of the protest action, Rasul Djafarov, the coordinator of the campaign "Sing for Democracy", thanked the participants of the walk and announced the completion of the demonstration.