Authorities offer Baku suburb as protest venue
BAKU – The authorities of Baku have declined the opposition’s request to approve a central location for an antigovernment rally planned for Sunday and instead offered a venue on the outskirts of the capital, Tofig Yagublu, deputy chairman of Musavat party, has told Radio Liberty.
The mayor’s office said in a letter that the square in front of the Narimanov cinema is unsuitable for a protest due to its being crowded and heavy traffic there. "Security of any gathering there is not guaranteed," it said, suggesting instead that the protest take place on a square located in the so-called "20th residential area", a Baku suburb.
Yagublu said that the Public Chamber, an umbrella opposition group, is keen to go ahead with the protest nonetheless.
"The Public Chamber will discuss the issue again on June 18, and a final decision will be passed then," he said.
The opposition group has held several unsanctioned protests in the past months. During the April 2 protest held downtown Baku, 13 people were detained for two months pending trial as protesters clashed with riot police.
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