The run-up
to Saturday’s Eurovision song contest in Azerbaijan continues to be
overshadowed by the authorities’ crackdown on dissent. Dozens more protesters
have been arrested in Baku.
Police in
Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, broke up an anti-government demonstration and
arrested dozens of protesters on Thursday.
Police
moved in after opposition activists gathered in front of the headquarters of
Azerbaijan's state television station and began reading out statements
demanding the release of political prisoners and an end to alleged censorship
by the country's state media.
"Thirty
to 35 people were detained," Leila Mustafayeva, a spokesperson for the
opposition alliance Public Chamber told the AFP news agency.
Among those
arrested were two women who held up a banner reading “We want public TV, not
Ilham TV,” in a clear reference to the country's president, Ilham Aliyev.
The
unauthorized demonstration came a few hours before the second semifinal of the
Eurovision song contest, which is being held in Baku this year after the entry
from Azerbaijan won last year's event. As the official partner of Eurovision,
the state television station is hosting this year's contest.
Opponents
of President Aliyev and his government have been trying to use the run-up to
the event to draw international attention to alleged human rights abuses in the
energy-rich country.
Government
condemns 'politicization' of event
The
government, meanwhile, condemned a meeting on Wednesday between the Swedish
contestant, Loreen, with local human rights activists.
"The
European Broadcasting Union must intervene in this issue and stop these
politicized actions," Ali Hasanov, a senior official in the president's
administration told the Trend news agency.
The final
of the song contest, which is to be held on Saturday evening, will be broadcast
live all over Europe. The annual event regularly attracts television audiences
estimated at around 125 million people.
pfd/msh (AFP, dpa)
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