Azerbaijan Cracks Down on Opposition Protests ahead of Eurovision

Police in Azerbaijan on Monday broke up an attempt to hold an opposition protest in Baku as the city gets ready to hold the Eurovision song contest later this month.

Small groups of activists from the Public Chamber opposition alliance chanted "Freedom!" as they tried to gather for the unauthorised rally in the city centre. Police quickly moved in and brief scuffles broke out as officers pushed those detained on to buses, opposition Musavat party leader Isa Gambar told AFP, as cited by BGNES.

"According to the initial information we have, more than 10 people were detained," he said.

"Our demands are the release of political prisoners and freedom of assembly in line with the constitution," he added.

Campaigners have sought to use the glitzy Eurovision pop competition, whose final on May 26 will be watched by an estimated 125 million people, to draw attention to alleged civil rights abuses in the energy-rich ex-Soviet state.

Campaign group Human Rights Watch has estimated that around 70 people are currently in jail in Azerbaijan for political reasons.

Authorities, led by strongman President Ilham Aliyev, deny any problem with human rights and freedom of speech in the Caspian Sea state and see the Eurovision contest as an opportunity to promote Azerbaijan's image internationally.

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