Who do they call for freedom?

[Tigermike 3,053]

It's good to remember whom people turn to when they're desperate - and it ain't Kofi Annan.

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Azerbaijan Demands Freedom!

** Supporters of several opposition parties chanted "Freedom!" and "Free Elections!" while holding placards with such slogans as "Down with robber government!" Some carried a picture of Bush with the inscription: "We want freedom!" **

Thousands March for Freedom in Baku, Azerbaijan...

A young protester sends a strong message to President Bush!

Protesters shouting "Freedom" marched in Azerbaijan today:

Thousands of opposition protesters chanted "Freedom!" and carried pictures of President Bush as they marched across Azerbaijan's capital Saturday, urging the government of this U.S. ally to step down and allow free parliamentary elections this year.

The massive rally in Baku was the largest opposition demonstration in the former Soviet republic since October 2003, when one person died and nearly 200 were injured in clashes between police and demonstrators protesting vote-rigging in the presidential election.

Tensions have been building steadily in this oil-rich Caspian Sea nation in the run-up to parliamentary elections set for November, leading some observers to predict that Azerbaijan could see a massive uprising similar to those that toppled unpopular regimes in other ex-Soviet nations of Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan during the past 18 months.

Despite a violent end to a protest two weeks ago, today's rally was the largest in Azerbaijan since the 2003 protests over vote-rigging by the government.

The rally was intended to draw attention to the opposition's push for election law reforms and access to state-controlled television. The opposition parties have accused authorities of rigging the October 2003 presidential election when President Ilham Aliev succeeded his late father, Geidar Aliev, and demanded changes to prevent fraud in the parliamentary vote.

A protest two weeks ago turned violent.

Two weeks ago, police beat back opposition protesters who tried to hold a banned rally in Baku. Dozens were arrested.

A protester is hoping that President Bush gets his message.