A demonstration was held in front of the Ukrainian embassy in Azerbaijan, located on Yusif Chemenzemenli Street in Baku on 27 February.

A rally in support of Ukraine takes place in the Azerbaijani capital

Participants at a rally in Baku demanded an end to hostilities in Ukraine. Police tried to limit the number of participants, but the rally ended without detention.

A demonstration took place in front of the Ukrainian embassy in Azerbaijan, located on Yusif Chemenzemenli Street in Baku on 27 February. It began at approximately 14.30 local time (15.30 Moscow time), with participants expressing support for Ukraine.

The demonstration was organised through social media by a number of opposition parties, civil society organisations and media representatives. The protesters came to the embassy building and held placards with words of support for Ukraine. They chanted “No to war!”

 

@azerhasret Баку, Азербайджан. Слава Украине! #украина #россия #азербайджан #баку #azərhəsrət #azerhasret ♬ Originalton – Azer Hasret

The rally lasted for about an hour with no specific speakers, with individual participants giving interviews to groups of journalists.

A “Statement of the action by political parties, public organisations and journalists”, which condemned the hostilities on the territory of Ukraine, was read out only in Azerbaijani and Russian. “We honour the memory of the numerous victims [of the military operation] – civilians and Ukrainian military,” the statement went on to say.

Ukrainian embassy counsellor Oleg Klinchenko addressed the rally with words of gratitude. “From the first day we have felt the support of the Azerbaijani people,” he said, coming out to the protesters.

When asked if Ukraine has received the expected aid from Azerbaijan, the diplomat said, “We are grateful to Azerbaijan for the aid, this one is humanitarian aid. In addition, Azerbaijan is providing free fuel to supply emergency vehicles. This is very important for us,” he said.

Activist Nigar Hazi told the Caucasian Knot correspondent that she had come to express solidarity with the Ukrainian people. “We, cannot remain indifferent to the struggle of the Ukrainian people. They have faced great injustice. We, support the Ukrainian people, because they are also fighting for our freedom,” she said.

Parviz Mammadov said he came to the rally to protest against the fighting. “I am here to speak out against the killing of innocent civilians – children, women, against the infringement of the territorial integrity of a sovereign state,” he said.

Journalist Alya Yagublu believes the international community must stop the fighting. “We know first-hand what [the military operation] is like <…> there is already fighting literally in the streets of Kharkiv and Kiev, there is a threat to Ukrainian statehood. And at least now [the West] must take decisive measures,” she told the Caucasian Knot correspondent.

The police did not disperse the rally, but created obstacles for the protesters. Some of the protesters tried to reach the embassy building, but police blocked the road on both sides in order to limit the number of participants. The rally, however, ended without detentions. A correspondent for Kavkazski Uzel estimates that between 500 and 1,000 people took part in the rally.

Source: kavkaz-uzel.eu