Voice of America News
June 19, 2005

Azerbaijan’s Opposition Rallies for Political Change

Azerbaijan’s three main opposition parties have held their second
mass protest in two weeks.

Thousands demonstrated Saturday in Baku demanding free and fair
parliamentary elections in November and President Ilham Aliyev’s
resignation.

Inspired by Ukraine’s peaceful “orange revolution” democracy
movement, an estimated 20,000 Azeri demonstrators chanted slogans in
the capital’s main square. Many wore orange clothing and waved orange
banners.

President Aliyev came to power in 2003 in an election after the death
of his father, long-time ruler Heydar Aliyev. Opponents contend the
election was rigged.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh region is
holding elections today to fill all 33 seats in a regional
legislature.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress