BAKU -- The offices of the Azerbaijani opposition Musavat Party were raided in Baku by police and investigators on April 26, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.
Musavat Party leader Isa Gambar told RFE/RL on April 26 that the police showed a court warrant for the search in connection with an unauthorized antigovernment rally by the opposition political bloc known as Ictimai Palata on April 2.
The court order said that documents belonging to Ictimai Palata were to be seized because they are needed for a criminal case against the movement for the unapproved rally.
The search of Musavat's offices lasted more than three hours.
Gambar said party members present during the raid gave documents related to Ictimai Palata to the police and investigators. But they told Gambar they were not satisfied and started searching for additional documents.
He said the police wanted to know "about meetings and decisions made by Ictimai Palata and its members."
Gambar described the raid as an attempt to put political pressure on the opposition movements in Azerbaijan.
Musavat Party leader Isa Gambar told RFE/RL on April 26 that the police showed a court warrant for the search in connection with an unauthorized antigovernment rally by the opposition political bloc known as Ictimai Palata on April 2.
The court order said that documents belonging to Ictimai Palata were to be seized because they are needed for a criminal case against the movement for the unapproved rally.
The search of Musavat's offices lasted more than three hours.
Gambar said party members present during the raid gave documents related to Ictimai Palata to the police and investigators. But they told Gambar they were not satisfied and started searching for additional documents.
He said the police wanted to know "about meetings and decisions made by Ictimai Palata and its members."
Gambar described the raid as an attempt to put political pressure on the opposition movements in Azerbaijan.
