Azerbaijani Police Breakup Unauthorized
Opposition Rally
By VOA News, 18 December 2005
Authorities in Azerbaijan have broken up an unauthorized rally by the Azadlyg
opposition bloc, which has challenged last month's parliamentary elections as
rigged.
Several dozen members of Azadlyg, chanting "Free Elections," tried to stage a
protest Sunday in the capital, Baku, but police blocked them.
The police, who detained some protesters, had warned the opposition not to go
ahead with the demonstration.
Last month, opposition activists held almost weekly protests over the election.
In one protest, police used batons and water cannon to disperse the crowd.
On May 13, Azerbaijan is to hold repeat parliamentary elections in 10 districts
where authorities annulled the results of the November 6 balloting because of
fraud or voting irregularities.
Some information for this story provided by AP.