Azerbaijani police break up opposition protest
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 17 November 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Azerbaijani police break up opposition protest, 17 November 2012, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/50b4d0da2d.html [accessed 23 May 2013] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 17, 2012
By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service
Police in Azerbaijan have arrested around 30 opposition activists who tried to stage a protest in Baku demanding the president's resignation and the dissolution of parliament.
Around 100 people, called to join the protest via Facebook, took to the streets, shouting, "Dissolve the parliament!" and "The president should resign!"
Police officers broke up the demonstration by wielding truncheons and pushing some of the demonstrators onto city buses.
Some journalists at the scene were beaten by police when they tried to take photographs of the arrests.
The protest, which did not have official authorization, was organized by the youth wings of opposition parties forming part of the Azeri Public Chamber.
Among the biggest opposition parties that are members of the Public Chamber are the Popular Front Party and Musavat.
With reporting by Reuters and Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
