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An Azerbaijani opposition rally was held at the city stadium of the sport club Mehsul in Baku under police surveillance. The participants demanded to compensate the population for their losses which had been caused by manat devaluation. The main slogan of the demonstration agreed upon with Baku City Hall was “No to looting and deceptions!” The demonstrators interrupted the speakers, chanting “Freedom!” and “Resign!” Caucasian Knot reports.

According to the article, Ali Karimli, the chairman of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (APFP), during his speech called on the government of the country to compensate the population for their losses which had been caused by manat devaluation. Deputy chairman of APFP Fuad Gahramanli spoke up for the immediate release of the Azerbaijani political prisoners. In his turn, the head of the National Council of Democratic Forces Jamil Hasanli criticized allocating funds for hosting the European Games in Baku.

“The Heydar Aliyev Foundation covers the expenses of building parks and establishing monuments in foreign countries, while seriously ill children’s parents turn to the people in the social networks asking for help to pay for their babies’ treatment,” Hasanli protested.

The BBC Russian Service also turned to the topic highlighting that thousands of people took part in the demonstration organized by the Azerbaijani opposition in Baku, and that it is one of the largest demonstrations of the Azerbaijani opposition for the recent years. The next one is appointed on 5 April. In its turn, the magazine Korrespondent.net adds that “oil-and-gas rich Azerbaijan” faces dramatic financial problems because of the decline of the oil prices.

The website of RFE/RL reminds that during the demonstration Jamil Hasanli declared that his Facebook account had been hacked ahead of the protest in an apparent attempt by authorities to prevent him from calling on people to join the rally. RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service highlights that the day before the rally the Press Council of Azerbaijan informed the site Qafqazinfo that a monitoring of the journalists carrying out their duties was to be held during the rally. However, Ogtay Gulaliyev, the National Council representative, said he was not aware of that.

Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports that 4-5 thousand people took part in the rally in Baku. In its turn, the Main Police Department in Baku stated that there were around 600 demonstrators in the rally. 

According to the agency, Gezal Bayramli, the deputy chairman of APFP and member of National Council, noted in her speech that the current situation in Azerbaijan comes as a logical result of the “inconsiderate, robbing policy” carried out by the authorities of the country. The head of the National Council Jamil Hasanli condemned the lack of economical strategy of the authorities noting that the policy of the authorities in Azerbaijan has a “spontaneous and inconsiderate character.” He said that one of the forms of corruption in Azerbaijan is the tax authorities’ tactics of extortion, as they – apart from the official taxes - take cash of 10-15 thousands from the businessmen explaining that by the lack of money for the European Games. 

Turan also writes that Rovshan Ahmedov, Karabakh war veteran and a member of the National Council, spoke up at the meeting stressing that despite the fact that the war refugees and veterans cannot get compensation in Azerbaijan for already 20 years, the authorities of the country are ready to invite and pay the expenses of the representatives of Armenia in the European Games.