Azeri opposition steps up protests...

[Azog]

Opposition parties in Azerbaijan are preparing to rally in protest against the official results of the 6 November parliamentary elections.

The vote brought overwhelming victory to the ruling party of President Ilham Aliyev, the son of the country's late leader, Heydar Aliyev.

But the international community criticised irregularities and fraud during the vote.

Azerbaijani opposition leaders say the results were completely falsified.

The United Freedom Bloc is refusing to take on the handful of parliamentary seats it has officially won. The group is asking people to rally for a new vote.

Tens of thousands are expected to respond to these calls.

More pressure

Opposition supporters say they are inspired by the peaceful revolutions that swept Ukraine and Georgia, and that they will carry on their protest until the government agrees to a re-run of the 6 November vote.

But President Aliyev says that in his oil-rich state, the chances of such a revolution are zero.

Still, he has taken precautions. The rallies are allowed only in the outskirts of the city, and only for a limited period of time.

So far the opposition has been careful to abide by these rules, saying it is important to avoid confrontation with the police, who have violently dispersed demonstrations in the past.

But as the Freedom Bloc prepares for another protest, many activists say the time has come to put more pressure on the government and stay in the square.

The chief of Baku's police has warned the demonstrators not to.

Britain and the United States, which are investing billions of pounds into Azerbaijan's oil, have called on the government to allow the demonstrators to protest peacefully.

From bbc.com





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