AZERBAIJAN: Thousands of opposition protesters gather for a rare sanctioned rally to demand political and speech freedoms, as their leaders promise to continue street protests during and after the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest scheduled in Baku this May

Record ID: 218174

  • Title: AZERBAIJAN: Thousands of opposition protesters gather for a rare sanctioned rally to demand political and speech freedoms, as their leaders promise to continue street protests during and after the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest scheduled in Baku this May
  • Date: 23rd April 2012
  • Summary: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (APRIL 22, 2012) (REUTERS) OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS AT RALLY OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS HOLDING SIGN READING IN ENGLISH 'WE WANT DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC' OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS DEMANDING PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV'S RESIGNATION CHANTING "ILHAM - GO" OPPOSITION LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS GREETING SUPPORTERS FROM MAKESHIFT STAGE VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS CHANTING "FRE
  • Embargoed: 8th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan
  • Country: Azerbaijan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAHG21RHTT7MVTGUJUPP3WPTNF
  • Story Text: Thousands of opposition protesters gathered for the second sanction rally in seven years on Sunday (April 22) to demand democratic changes from government authorities in oil-rich Azerbaijan.
    Opposition supporters carried Azerbaijan's national and opposition party flags. The protest participants, who gathered on the outskirts of Baku, held posters demanding political freedoms, the release of political prisoners and other democratic reforms.
    Azerbaijan is slated to host the 2012 Eurovision song contest in May, and some have said that the sanctioned protests are a temporary allowance with Azerbaijan coming under closer scrutiny by human rights activists in the lead-up to Eurovision.
    Opposition leaders, however, say the protests will continue after Eurovision.
    "The protests will continue, because they are not connected with any contests or festival. The protest will be held before the Eurovision Song Contest and after the Eurovision contest, possibly during Eurovision Song contest as well," Isa Gambar, Musavat party leader told Reuters during the protest.
    Some analysts, however, think the Azerbaijani opposition is too weak and fragmented to impact the political course of the current government and University professor Gabil Guseynli is one of them.
    "Their real goal is to actively stage a protest, to use the protest as a tool of pressure forcing the government to carry out reforms, changes. Of course, the goal of any political party is to come to power. But the Azerbaijani opposition today is fragmented. It does not have strong body of electors, does not have close contacts with population. That is why I think the chances for them to come to power are really slim," professor Gabil Guseynli told Reuters.
    Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev and his government have built gleaming glass and concrete skyscrapers dominating Baku's skyline including a "Crystal Hall" to host the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Critics, however, say the government has trampled on people's rights by razing homes for the country's big night in the spotlight.
    In the past few years, entire districts have been swept away to make space for parks, roads, luxury apartment blocks and a shopping centre as part of a redesign of the city of 2 million that preceded the Eurovision victory.
    Critics also see the makeover as an attempt to hide the gap between rich and poor, rampant corruption and a lop-sided oil-dependent economy in the country of nine million.
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