Azeri riot police used violence against the opposition protesters who took part in a peaceful rally at the Qalaba square in Baku this afternoon. According to BBC, truncheons, tear gas and water cannon were used to disperse the mass protest. Many activists are injured and 12 journalists have been beaten, reports the TURAN News Agency (26-NOV-05).
According to TURAN News Agency, number of heavy military vehicles and group of internal troops were brought to the venue many hours before the rally was suppose to take place. The demonstration started peacefully from January 20″ metro station, with ten thousands of opposition protesters rallying to demand that President Ilham Aliyev’s government step down after the widespread electoral fraud the 6 November. Waving orange flags, the crowd shouted”Istefa!” (Resign!) and “Azadliq!” (Freedom!), the Radio Free Europe reports. Photo: Radio Free Europe
Disagreement among the opposition leaders
Unlike the previous rallies the opposition leaders did not seem to have agreed upon a common appeal to their supporters, says Shahla Izmailova, the info coordinator of the emerging Human Rights House in Baku after the demonstration. The rally was only sanctioned for two hours by the local authorities. However,Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party called the demonstrators to remain at the square after 5 pm until the opposition demands were fulfilled. On the other hand, Isa Gambar, the leader of the Musavat Party asked people to leave. “It is not time yet to use this form of protest,” he said according to TURAN News Agency. Lala Shovket, the leader of the Liberal party asked the police not to use force, before she left the tribune together with Ali Kerimli and joined the sit-down protest.
According to Vugar Gojayev, analyst of the International Crises Group, the police started to prepare themselves to attack people without any warning. In a sudden, around 100 sportive guys with black hats stormed the podium, where the leaders of the opposition had hold their speeches, he reports.
Injures and arrests
-I saw how wildly they were destroying the podium and beating people. As an eyewitness he saw demonstrators running away in order not to be trampled by police and the aggressive sportive guys. The crowd of people were attacked from three sides by the internal forces.
-The sportsguys were beating people with the sticks of the flags and shouting in a threatening voice. Some people were left wounded in the streets around the square. Some people lost their shoes and mobile phones running for their lives, Vugar Gojayev reports. According to BBC, many of the protesters were throwing stones at the police when they ran away. A number were reportedly arrested and loaded into police buses. Ali Kerimli later Photo: CET, EuroNews
said to Reuters that the protesters did not break the law.
Beaten journalists
According to TURAN News Agency 12 journalists representing various mass media have been beaten by police. The journalists are:Elbrus Seyfullayev from Azerpress agency, Shain Aydin from “Bizim Yol”, Shaida Tulagayeva – cameraman from “BBC”; Shirin Safarov from “Baki Heber”; Zaur Rasulov – correspondent of the newspaper”Novoye Vrema”; Anar Bayramoglu – corespondent of “Sharg” newspaper; Samir Neymanoglu – employee of Turan Agency; Mustafa Hacili – Deputy Editor in Chief of “Yeni Musavat” newspaper; Sarvan Rizvanov – correspondent of Turan Agency;
Elman Mailov – correspondent of “Express” newspaper; Aga Safarov – correspondent of “Hurriyet” newspaper; Zohrab Ismail – the member of the Press Council, “Azadlig” newspaper.
US and Britain condemn the violence
The US Embassy strongly condemns the police violence today against supporters of the Azadlig bloc in Baku. “We deplore the unjustified and unprovoked use of force against citizens peacefully expressing their right to freedom of assembly” reads the statement. British ambassador to Azerbaijan Lory Bristow has expressed deep regret by using of police force while dispersal of today rally of opposition in Baku. “We call all sides to maximum restraint”,- said Bristow to Turan agency.
