In Baku, rally against demolition of houses scheduled for today did not take place

In Baku, rally against demolition of houses scheduled for Sunday did not take place: for fear of the dispersal of the rally, about 100 protesters failed to gather at the site in front of the school, since all the surrounding streets were patrolled by reinforced police squads, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

According to Baku resident K., a participant of the planned rally, after the mass arrests of activists, the city residents are afraid to gather to demonstrate their claims. His son was arrested on charges of disobeying police.

Baku residents hope that Abid Sharifov, Deputy Prime Minister, will fulfil his promise to adopt special rates of compensation for demolished housing to those persons who own apartments of less than 30-40 m. The government has declared the compensation rate of 1500 manats per square meter, and 45,000-60,000 manats that are to be paid to people would be not enough to purchase suitable housing in Baku.

Earlier, the Baku authorities have stated that within three years, about 10,000 inhabitants of the old houses in the city centre will have to leave their houses.

Abid Sharifov and Gadjibala Abutalibov, Chief Executive of Baku, promised that the eviction will take place only after mutual agreement of owners of houses. However, the city residents are not satisfied with the government's decision regarding compensation.