Police quells banned ADP demonstration

Several thousand protesters gathered in the square in front of the Republican Palace at 4 p.m. Saturday to conduct a "Freedom to political prisoners and emigrants" demonstration, but police dispelled the protesters who had planned to proceed to the Fizuli Square.

The rally was organized by the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP), which had asked Mayor's office for a sanction, but was refused. According to the Deputy Sheriff of Baku Yashar Aliyev, 15 people were detained and taken into police custody, including the party's secretary general Sardar Jalaloglu, three members of the ADP political council, and rank-and-file party members. ADP claims the existence of 26 political prisoners and emigrants.

Editor to sue police officer

Employees of the opposition newspaper "Hurriyyet" Heydar Oguz and Jasur Mammadov, who covered the April 21 ADP demonstration, have been sentenced to 7 and 12 days in prison respectively. The ruling will be appealed against to the Court of Appeal, editor of the newspaper Suleyman Mammadli told a news conference Monday.

He added that he himself had been slapped on his face by the deputy sheriff of Baku Yashar Aliyev and vowed to sue him.