In Baku, about 20 protesters against non-combat losses in army detained

On January 12, in the centre of Baku, confrontation between participants of the protest action against non-combat losses in the Azerbaijani army and the police forces lasted for more than 1.5 hours. According to the preliminary data, about 20 participants of the protest action were detained, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The protests were provoked by death of soldier Djeikhun Gubadov. Relatives of the soldier questioned the results of the examination, according to which Djeikhun Gubadov died of heart failure. They claimed signs of violence on the body of the deceased soldier. A number of youth activists have created in the social network "Facebook" a group "Put an end to the soldiers 'deaths" and scheduled the protest action.

Despite the enhanced security measures, in a number of places in the city centre, unidentified persons wrote on the buildings the slogans reading: "Dismiss Safar Abiev (Minister of Defence)!", "Say 'No' to soldiers 'deaths!", "Express civil protest against soldiers' deaths".

At about 04:00 p.m., a march was started in Fountain Square, which was attended by about 200 protesters who chanted the slogans: "No soldiers' deaths!", "Let soldiers not die and army not to turn into morgue!", "Stop lying!" and carried in their hand portraits of the deceased and perished soldiers.

Policemen several times tried to stop the march; however, the protesters continued marching. The policemen chased the participants of the protest action and cleared the Square of people.

In total, according to the estimates of observers from NGOs, the protest action was attended by not more than 500 persons.