Azeri opposition supporters begin hunger strike
A number of Azerbaijani opposition supporters have begun a hunger strike, demanding the release of activists detained during the recent protest rallies.
"We will continue the hunger strike until these young people, who are only fighting for democracy, are released," Yegana Amiraslanov of the opposition organization Public Chamber said.
Human Rights Watch announced that at least 10 people have been arrested during protests against President Ilham Aliev in recent weeks, AP reported.
During a rally in April, protesters in the capital city of Baku demanded the resignation of President Aliev.
Azerbaijan is to host the Eurovision song contest next week. The hunger strikers hope to draw attention to rights violations in their country ahead of the competition.
"We are simply against the fact that Eurovision is being held in a country where a dictatorship is in power, in a country where official institutions in Europe and in all the free world have recognized tens of prisoners of conscience," Amiraslanov concluded.
