Baku Executive Power Refuses to Permit Musavat Party�s Procession

Baku / 19.10.17 / Turan: The Baku Executive Power refused to permit the procession of the Musavat Party, scheduled for October 21.

Earlier, the Musavat party decided to hold a protest action on October 21, demanding the fight against corruption and the release of political prisoners. It asked the Baku authorities to permit the procession on one of two routes: from the subway station Darnagul to the subway station Azadlyg Prospecti, or from the circle in front of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to the monument to Huseyn Javid on Huseyn Javid Avenue.

However, the Executive Power today proposed that instead of the procession the party should hold a rally at the Yasamal district stadium on October 21.

The head of the Musavat party, in a conversation with Turan News Agency, called the decision of the city authorities "illegal". "The Baku Executive Power does not have the authority to ban mass actions. It is even more absurd to prohibit the procession under the pretext of "increasing the number of cars" in the city of Baku," Arif Hajili said.

At the same time, he recalled the statement of President Ilham Aliyev at a recent meeting with the EU delegation that freedom of assembly is fully ensured in Azerbaijan. "Freedom of assembly is not limited to one stadium and should be extended to the whole territory of the country. However, refusing to permit our action, the Azerbaijani authorities have shown that there is no freedom of assembly in the country," Hajili said.

According to him, the Musavat Party is currently discussing the answer of the Baku Executive Power and will make a decision today. -03B06-