Opposition news

DEMCONGRESS VIEWS CRACKDOWN AS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

Opposition regards the recent crackdown by the authorities on the freedom of speech, press and political forces as part of the crackdown campaign launched by the world's powerful regimes following the September 11 terror acts in the USA, Musavat chairman Isa Gambar told a news briefing after a meeting of the pro-Musavat Democratic Congress Monday.

Mr. Gambar then recalled of the arrests of journalists, closure of newspapers, deprivation of political parties of their offices, and the crackdown on the freedom of meeting. He dwelt upon the use of force against the ADP rally in Nakhchivan on September 29. According to him, the rally was quelled as tens of people were beaten up and arresting. Whereabouts of the apprehended are still unknown, he said.

DemCongress-1 believes that such a policy is not going to yield any fruit neither to the country nor to the authorities.

ADP SHIFTS RALLY DATE

The rally the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP) scheduled for Saturday has been rescheduled for October 20 due to the arrival in Baku of the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze. The party had intended to continue its protests against rife unemployment and ongoing incarceration of political prisoners, according to ADP.

COURT RULES TO ARREST PFPA MEMBER

The Khatai district court of Baku held preliminary hearings Friday over the case of Nizami Alakbarov, a member of the PFPA conservative wing who was reportedly detained on September 26 with 20 hand grenades and 19 cartridges in his suitcase. The court has decided to arrest Mr. Alakbarov pending trial.

'START FIGHTING TERROR WITH GARABAGH', TNP SAYS

Turkish Nationalist Party (TNP) has suggested to the Azerbaijan government that it give separatists in Upper Garabagh 3 full days to leave the territory of Azerbaijan or face the consequences.

TNP is confident that the world community will endorse the step, which aims at restoring the country's territorial integrity.

PRO-AZERBAIJAN FORCES CALL FOR WAR IN GARABAGH

The Union of pro-Azerbaijan Forces has not signed "the charter of the four", as the document doesn't envision a military solution to the Garabagh conflict, secretary of the "Namus" party Vahid Mammadov told Azernews Thursday.

According to him, the UAF has adopted a nationwide address indicating that Armenian terrorism is a part of international one and should therefore be fought against. Calling the Armenian President Kocharian a terrorist, the address urges the Azeri authorities not to hold any negotiations with him. Authors suggest that based on the resolution of the COE Council of Ministers recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity Azerbaijan can start military action to wipe out Armenian terrorists in Upper Garabagh.