Four oppositionists detained on Republic Day in Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan, members of opposition parties held a rally on the Republic Day in the village of Novkhany near Baku. Four detainees were released at the end of the day.

This year, the Azerbaijani authorities referred to preparations for the UEFA Europa League Cup Final scheduled for May 29 and banned the traditional march held on the occasion of the Republic Day on May 28. Therefore, the opposition parties held the rally in the village of Novkhany near Baku, where Mamed Emin Rasulzade, one of the leaders of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, was born, the "Jam-news.net" reports.

Law enforcers detained four oppositionists, who were on their way to the event, the "Meydan.tv" reports with reference to the press service of the "Musavat" Party.

In the course of his speech at the rally, Arif Gadjily, the leader of the "Musavat" Party, criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for the lack of attention to the merits of the founders of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic.

Kyamalya Ragimli, the mother of political prisoner Orkhan Bakhyshly, read out a letter from her son, in which he conveyed congratulations on the occasion of the Republic Day and noted that even in prisons, activists continue to fight for freedom and democracy, the "Turan.az" reports.