In Baku, police hampers CMDPC's picket in front of Public TV building

Today, in Baku, the police did not give activists of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC) an opportunity to hold a picket in front of the building of the Azerbaijani Public Television (PTV), which the oppositionists accused of failing to fulfil its functions of the public broadcaster. The opposition activists report on detentions of their supporters at their apartments and in front of the PTV building. The PTV's leaders reject the criticism of the opposition.

The activists of the "Public Chamber" believe that the PTV fails to fulfil its functions of the public broadcaster, it fails to ensure pluralism, and it is engaged in promotion of government policy.

The participants of the protest action did not manage to gather in front of the building of the PTV. Yet several hours prior to the start of the protest action, policemen and people in civilian clothes have taken the building of the PTV under heavy guard. Furthermore, the police took control of the exits of the adjacent metro stations "Inshaatchylar" and "January 20" and did not allow the citizens to gather in groups.

Opposition activists report on detentions that began in the morning

Yet in the early morning, detentions of opposition activists, who were taken from their apartments, were started. In particular, Shakir Abbasov, Adviser to the Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), Vagif Khalygov and Maarif Agammedov, the heads of the Surakhan and the Yasamal regional organizations of the PFPA, were detained. District police inspector came to the apartment of Nureddin Mamedli, Deputy Chairman of the PFPA, to "talk" to him.

Representatives of the "Musavat" Party reported that Gyulaga Aslanly and Tofig Yagublu, two Deputy Chairmen of the opposition organization, were detained by the police. Gyulaga Aslanly was detained, when he accompanied his grandson to the kindergarten, and Tofig Yagublu was detained on his way to the Party's office.

At the exit of the metro station "Inshaatchylar", Asef Guliev, Deputy Chairman of the PFPA, one of the organizers of the picket, was detained and brought to the Yasamal District Police Department.

Journalists, who arrived at "Eurovision", witness detentions

Only several small groups of oppositionists, consisting of about 5-6 persons, who chanted slogans: "Freedom!" and "Resign!", managed to get to the building of the PTV. However, the police immediately detained the protesters and used force even against women. The activists were forced into police cars and driven away.

All that happened before eyes of numerous foreign journalists, who came to the song contest "Eurovision".

Occasional passers-by also appeared to be among detainees. "I am not engaged in politics, and I came here not to participate in any kind of action. However, I'm also dissatisfied. Our salaries are not enough to live on, and the government spends money to build palaces and parks. We don't need such a beauty, when people have nothing to eat," a man, who introduced himself as Salakhaddin Aliev, a Baku resident, managed to shout out to journalists.

According to the opposition, in total, about 30 persons were detained. Information about the detainees is being clarified, Mr Kerimov, Chief of the Supreme Council of the PFPA, reports.

Takhir Mamedov: Public TV highlights all significant public events

No comments of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan in connection with the suppression of the picket and the number of detainees are available. However, at the place of the protest action, a police officer told the journalists that law enforcement agencies took measures to prevent the picket, unsanctioned by the city authorities.

Representatives of the PTV refute the criticism of the PTV's failure to fulfil its functions of the public broadcaster. "Our TV Channel highlights all important social events. We regularly hold public discussions with representatives of different political parties and NGOs," stated earlier Takhit Mamedov, the head of the Public Relations Department of the PTV.

It should be noted that in the month of May, in Baku, several protest actions of Azerbaijani opposition, unsanctioned by the city authorities, were suppressed.