Azerbaijan police detain scores of protesters, including opposition party leader
Demonstrators are demanding higher salaries and fair and independent elections
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Police in Azerbaijan on Saturday detained scores of protesters, including the leader of the main opposition Popular Front, at the start of a planned rally against low salaries, corruption and a lack of democracy in the energy-rich ex-Soviet state.
The protesters have a wide range of demands, including higher salaries for state employees and fair and independent elections in a country long accused by human rights groups and Western governments of a lack of transparency.
Popular Front leader Ali Kerimli told reporters before his own detention that some 50 people, mostly organisers of Saturday's unauthorised rally, had already been detained earlier in the week.
“We demand our constitutional rights and freedoms to be protected,” Mr Kerimli said. “We are not afraid of this government and we will fight till the end.”
Police detained Mr Kerimli soon after he began walking to the venue of the protest rally in central Baku. More than 80 other protesters were detained after him, a Reuters witness at the scene said.
The deputy head of the Baku police, Sakhlab Bagirov, confirmed to Reuters that some people had been detained, but declined to provide a number.
Police also cordoned off several streets in central Baku, a couple of metro stations were temporarily shut and there were problems with internet connection.
Azerbaijan has been governed by President Ilham Aliyev since 2003 when he succeeded his late father.
Western nations have courted Azerbaijan because of its role as an alternative to Russia in supplying oil and gas to Europe, but various European bodies and rights groups have accused Mr Aliyev of muzzling dissent and jailing opponents, charges Baku denies.
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments