Authorities Increased Pressure on Members of Popular Front Party

Over the last week, authorities stepped up pressure on the activists of the Popular Front Party, as well as members of the National Council.

For example, administrative detention was applied to the head of the Sumgait branch of PFPA Isa Gurbanov (10 days).

On the eve of the rally on March 15 the police called activists of the Beylagan branch of the party Ayat Ismailov and Orkhan Valehli, which were warned not to travel to Baku to participate in the rally.

Similar pressure was subjected to a member of the departments in Lankaran and Sabirabad, Kazim Hasanov and Sahib Rustamli.

In preparation for the rally was taken to the police deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party Mahammad Ibrahim. Another activist Orkhan Bakhyshly refused to go to the police, demanding to send him a summons.

Since March 12, user accounts of social networks, which actively encouraged citizens to come to the rally of the opposition, suffered cyber attacks.

The Facebook page of the head of the National Council Jamil Hasanli was also attacked. False information about the cancellation of the rally was placed there.

On March 14 a cyber attack was made against the newspaper Azadlig, which happened immediately after the video message by Jamil Hasanli on March 13.

Despite all this, the action on March 15 was large enough and organized and it passed without incident. ---05D04-