In Baku, women-activists support Ibragim, arrested oppositionist

Female activists from the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) tried to hold a protest action outside the building of the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), demanding to release the arrested Mamed Ibragim. The police prevented the action and ousted the activists away from the MIA building.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 26, Mamed Ibragim, an adviser to the PFPA chairman, was detained after visiting the memorial to the victims of the Khojaly tragedy. The court sentenced him to 10 days of arrest on charges of disobeying the police. The PFPA treats the arrest as politically motivated.

"We were going to protest against Mamed Ibragim's unjustified arrest. He was put into jail on a far-fetched pretext; and he also has health problems," said Dilyara Alieva, a participant in the action.

According to her story, policemen attacked the activists and began to tear down posters and rudely pushing them.

"It's a shame when healthy young men raise their hands on the women who could be their mothers by age," Ms Alieva has stated.

The police's actions were condemned by Alovsat Osmanly, a member of the Coordination Centre against Repression and Torture.

"The suppression of a small women's picket and use of violence against them is an eloquent indicator of authorities' zero tolerance to criticism. This is a violation of fundamental human rights," Mr Osmanly has stated.