Azerbaijani opposition demonstrates in Baku

Hundreds of opposition supporters have protested against the Azerbaijani government, demanding the release of "political prisoners" in the oil-producing nation.

When the crowd defied police by chanting for Aliyev's resignation, power was cut to prevent speakers from using microphones to address the rally at Mahsul Stadium in Baku.

The November 9 protest was organized by the National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan (NCDC), a pro-democracy movement.

Speakers addressed the crowd from a stage that displayed pictures of detained or jailed rights activists, independent journalists, and opposition politicians with the words "Free Political Prisoners" written on a banner.

NCDC chairman Camil Hasanli told demonstrators that no other country in the world has as many political prisoners as Azerbaijan today.

Hasanli called out the names of some of those that government opponents and rights groups consider political prisoners, starting with activists "Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus" -- a married couple being held separately in pretrial detention on charges of treason and other crimes, which the couple and their supporters say are politically motivated.

Hasanli also named Intigam Aliyev, a lawyer who has represented dozens of Azerbaijanis who filed cases with the European Court of Human Rights; rights activist Rasul Jafarov; the deputy leader of the opposition Musavat (Equality) Party, Tofiq Yagublu; and the head of the opposition Republican Alternative Party Ilqar Mammadov.

All are being held on charges that they and their supporters claim are politically motivated.

(Reporting by RFE/RL)