Baku: people with disabilities demand increase in benefits (+video)

On June 6, about 10 Category I invalids held a protest in front of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan in Baku. They demanded to increase their disability benefits and exempt them from utility payments.

People with disabilities arrived at the building of the above Ministry in their wheelchairs and unfolded posters reading: "We demand rights equality!" and "Exempt invalids from utility payments!" They complained that their utility bills are too high for them, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Orkhan Adygezal, one of the protesters, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that their demands had been transferred to the Ministry of Labour back in March, but there was no response.

"We are a group of disabled people, who are deceived by the government by granting allowances of 50 manats (30 US dollars) and 150 manats (90 US dollars). We demand to increase these pensions, but nobody listens to us, no one comes out to us," Mr Adygezal has explained.

The protesters demanded to be received by Ministry's employees.

Ministry employees came out to the protesters only after the invalids tried to block the traffic, the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" reports. An employee of the Ministry, who refused to give his name, has stated that the invalids' demands, received in March, are still being studied.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.