The organizers of the opposition rally, the Public Chamber umbrella group, had asked the Baku City executive authorities for permission to hold the 17 April rally in the square outside the Narimanov Cinema, the police statement said.
The authorities did not give permission for the rally outside the cinema and proposed a venue south of the capital instead.
The opposition application was reviewed and, “guided by Article 7 of the law of the Azerbaijan Republic ‘On freedom of assembly’, with the aim of upholding the public interest, preventing the disruption of public order, unrest and crime and upholding the interests of others, it was proposed that the venue be changed to the stadium in Bibi Heybat settlement in Sabayil District,” the statement said.
The organizers of the opposition rally, the Public Chamber umbrella group, had asked the Baku City executive authorities for permission to hold the 17 April rally in the square outside the Narimanov Cinema, the police statement said.
The authorities did not give permission for the rally outside the cinema and proposed a venue south of the capital instead.
The opposition application was reviewed and, “guided by Article 7 of the law of the Azerbaijan Republic ‘On freedom of assembly’, with the aim of upholding the public interest, preventing the disruption of public order, unrest and crime and upholding the interests of others, it was proposed that the venue be changed to the stadium in Bibi Heybat settlement in Sabayil District,” the statement said.
The authors of the application were informed about this in writing and received official notification from the Main Police Department and Prosecutor’s Office of Baku that a rally in any other location would be stopped and the organizers held responsible for any violations of public order, the statement continued.
“However, the organizers of the action tried at 16.00 on 17 April to bring together several groups of some 150 people from different directions in Sahil Park. Even though the police frequently informed the organizers and participants in the rally that, under Article 14, part 2, of the law ‘On freedom of assembly’, they should disperse, the demand was not met,” the police statement said.
Two Swedish journalists were detained by police in Sahil Park before the demonstration took place and their entry documentation sent to the State Migration Service, APA reported.
People’s Party leader and former MP Panah Huseyn was among the detained demonstrators, according to Turan news agency.
Ten opposition activists remain in detention after the Public Chamber attempted to organize a similar rally on 2 April.