Police in Azerbaijan Beat Back Protesters Demanding Free Vote

Associated Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Azeri protesters demanding free elections were beaten back Saturday by police, who arrested dozens as they broke up a banned rally in the oil-rich country four days before the inauguration of a new pipeline.

Tensions between the government and the opposition in the tightly controlled nation increased following an October 2003 election in which Ilham Aliyev replaced his late father, Geidar Aliyev, as president in a vote that the opposition said was marred by fraud. A parliamentary vote is scheduled for November.

Officials had forbidden the opposition to protest, citing security concerns ahead of a visit by foreign leaders for a ceremony marking the opening of Azerbaijan's portion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which has been backed by the United States.

The mostly Muslim country, a U.S. ally in Iraq, is the starting point of the pipeline that Washington says will reduce dependence on oil from the Middle East.

The violence broke out as groups of protesters tried to make their way to a central square in the capital, Baku, shouting "Freedom!" and "Free elections!"

Helmeted police with riot shields and truncheons chased protesters, dispersing the rally after about two hours. Police detained dozens of people, putting them into buses and vans.