Campaign posters in Baku (file photo) (AFP)
5 November 2005 -- The head of Azerbaijan's ruling party today vowed that tomorrow's parliamentary elections would be free and fair.
Ali Ahmedov, executive secretary of the Yeni Azerbaycan Party, said his party was doing everything in its power to ensure the election would be transparent and democratic.
But, as the campaign wound down yesterday, two of Azerbaijan's leading opposition parties, the National Front and the Democratic Party, said police had arrested their campaign managers. Both parties are part of the Azadlyq (Freedom) opposition bloc.
Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said today that Democratic Party campaign manager Faramaz Javadov was arrested for trying to prevent police from searching his office. Police were tipped off that Javadov had weapons.
The ministry did not mention if any weapons were found during the search.
(Reuters)
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But, as the campaign wound down yesterday, two of Azerbaijan's leading opposition parties, the National Front and the Democratic Party, said police had arrested their campaign managers. Both parties are part of the Azadlyq (Freedom) opposition bloc.
Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said today that Democratic Party campaign manager Faramaz Javadov was arrested for trying to prevent police from searching his office. Police were tipped off that Javadov had weapons.
The ministry did not mention if any weapons were found during the search.
(Reuters)
RFE/RL Caucasus Report
RFE/RL Caucasus Report
SUBSCRIBE For weekly news and in-depth analysis on Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia's North Caucasus by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Caucasus Report."