Azadlig Bloc Held Rally In Downtown Baku - Photo Session
BAKU. June 19, 2010: Today, Azadlig Bloc – Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), Liberal Party and “Citizen and Development” Party held an “unauthorized” rally in front of the Mayoral Administration of Baku, near the “Icheri Sheher” metro station (former Baku Soveti metro station). Click here for video The PFPA reported that 82 participants of the rally were arrested by the police. Later the arrested party activists, mostly from the PFPA, were released, while five activists were sentenced to several days of imprisonment. PFPA press service reported that Azadlig Bloc was determined to continue the “unauthorized” actions of protest until the Azerbaijani government learned to respect the right of Azerbaijani citizens to freedom of assembly. The Azerbaijani opposition maintains that the current law on freedom of assembly does not empower the central government or the local authorities to authorize or disallow the activities. The letter of the law only requires that the organizers of public activities notified the local authorities about the planned event (Azerireport).