Police on Tuesday broke up a rally in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku that had been called to protest official restrictions on freedom of assembly.
| I guess that makes sense. It was predictable, but it makes sense... |
About 50 members of the Popular Front gathered near a subway station and shouted slogans including "Resign!" "Freedom!" and "Return the freedom of assembly to the people!" They began moving toward City Hall but were met by police, who dispersed the picketers and detained more than 15 of them. They did not have the permission required to hold a demonstration. Tension between the government and the opposition in tightly controlled, oil-rich Azerbaijan has increased since an October 2003 election in which Ilham Aliev replaced his father, longtime leader Geidar Aliev, as president in a vote the opposition said was marred by fraud. Thousands rioted in Baku for two days after the vote. One person died, and 25 civilians and 163 law enforcement officials were injured. Authorities charged about 120 people, more than 40 of whom have been sentenced to prison terms. Seven opposition leaders were sentenced to up to seven years in prison.
| Azerbaijan is another hereditary presidency. But it's not seriously troubled by Islamism and markedly non-truculent in its relations with the U.S., so we don't pay it much attention. I suppose that'll change if it explodes, but I doubt Aliev will let it explode for awhile. |
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