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A group of representatives of the Azerbaijani civil society visited Popular Front Party (PFP) leader Ali Kerimli to express their support to him, Turan news agency reports.

The agency reminds that in the recent days,groups of pro-government youth have been holding protests in front of Kerimli’shouse accusing him of treason and pro-Armenian policy.The protesters have even demanded that Karimli be exiledfrom the country.

According to the Legal Education Society leader IntigamAliyev, the protests against Kerimlitarget the freedom of speech and thought. “Everyone has the right to express critical opinions and this is reflected in the local legislation and in the country’s international human rights obligations," Aliyev said.

Other human rights defendersbelieve that the protests against Kerimliare organized with the aim of diverting the society’s attention from the reports on the Karabakh conflict and from the negotiation process with Russia. In their opinion, the organizers of the protest simply deceive the participants.

"Young people are brought to protestswith lies that they will be dedicated to the liberation of Karabakh," journalist RovshanHajibeylisaid.

Civil society activists believe that the government is unable to handle the economic crisis, and that such protests aimat distractingthe attention from the urgent problems in the country."These actions are not a way out of the situation, the government should carry out reforms," Turan's director MehmanAliyevsaid.

Karimlimaintains that such protests are held in order to divert the public attention from the disclosure of thepresidential family's offshore accountsin Panama. “However, the authorities are mistaken. The content of the reports will be clarified to the people," Karimlihighlighted.

Earlier, the opposition leader Ali Karimli had written on his Facebook page that the soldiers killed in fighting in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic are buried almost secretly in Azerbaijan, as the authorities fear mass gatherings. Also, commenting on the failed military operation of Azerbaijani army in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Karimli noted that the Azerbaijani authorities constantly shouted that “we will take Karabakh.” “So, why couldn’t you take it?” the politician wondered. He noted that the Azerbaijani people will no longer take seriously such statements of the authorities.