BAKU (RFE/RL) — Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the Azerbaijani capital, on January 19, to call for the release of a jailed anticorruption blogger and other people they consider political prisoners.
The protesters taking part in the sanctioned rally in Baku demanded President Ilham Aliyev’s government release Mehman Huseynov and other political prisoners.
Police said some 2,800 people took part in the rally, though opposition organizers said the figure for the number of demonstrators was around 20,000.
The National Council for Democratic Forces, an umbrella group of opposition parties, organized the rally.
Security forces said there were no violent incidents at the event. Police checked participants for weapons before allowing them to attend the demonstration.
Protesters held signs saying “Freedom For Political Prisoners” and “We Will Win,” among others.