23:01, 23 November 2006

Azerbaijani police violently dispersed protesters against pressure on mass media

Today in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, the police have again violently dispersed a picket of activists of the Party of National Front of Azerbaijan (PNFA). The action was held with the demand to stop pressure on the freedom of speech.

Policemen began detaining people who gathered in small groups in the mini-park near the President's Administration and putting them into buses well before the start of the action.

However, despite these measures, a group of some 30 persons decided to break through to the building, however police began to beat them severely with their truncheons. Police have hardly cleared the mini-park of the oppositionists, when a group of women - about 15 persons - appeared and made their way to the administrations of the president. Policemen blocked their way and hustled the women inside the subway station. Many participants of the action were detained by police and brought to police stations. Among those arrested were journalists, in particular, Seimur Khasiev, editor of the "Bizim Yol" newspaper.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent