22 September 2013, 23:44
Rally in Baku urges authorities to ensure equal terms for presidential candidates
An oppositional rally in Baku has supported the presidential candidate of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) Jamil Gasanli and expressed confidence in his victory. The rally's resolution calls on the incumbent Ilham Aliev not to use his administrative resources in the election campaign, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.
The NCDF rally took place on September 22 at the stadium of the sporting-recreation complex in the Yasamal District.
Eldar Namazov, the head of the NCDF's office and the leader of the movement EL (People) said that in recent days he had travelled across regions and "witnessed a nationwide support to Gasanli."
The rally's resolution states that the electoral campaign in Azerbaijan "is held in a non-democratic atmosphere" and puts forward a demand to release political prisoners.
Seimur Khazi, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) has treated the rally as the largest oppositional action since the 2005 parliamentary elections. His estimate of the audience was over 10,000 people.
However, according to Mubariz Gurbanly, an MP, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling Party "Eni Azerbaijan" (PEA) and a plenipotentiary envoy of the presidential candidate Ilham Aliev, the oppositional rally has failed.
"As usual, they make their slanderous and false statements... People refuse to accept this so-called National Council and have no trust in its candidate," said Gurbanly.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that August 2, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan appointed the presidential election on October 9. In total, 21 candidates had been nominated; 10 of them were registered.
Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent
