OSCE presses Azerbaijan on democracy after arrests

Europe's main security and democracy organisation pressed Azerbaijan on Tuesday to respect free assembly after police broke up peaceful protests last week and arrested dozens of people.
Chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis said he had reminded the former Soviet republic's leaders of their commitment to democracy in meetings in Baku this week.
"I underlined that freedom of assembly is essential to any democratic state," Azubalis told a news conference in neighbouring Georgia. "I urged our colleagues from Azerbaijan to go further with reforms on democracy."
The oil-producing, mostly Muslim Caspian Sea state's government was quick to stop demonstrators from gathering on Friday after young activists inspired by popular uprisings in the Middle East used social media to call for street protests.
Police said they arrested 43 people on Friday in the capital Baku. Opposition and rights groups said more than 100 others were detained on Saturday during a protest organised by the opposition party Musavat.
At least 30 have been sentenced to up to eight days in prison on charges of violating public order and defying police.
Rights groups called for their immediate release.
"Instead of jailing peaceful protesters, the authorities should be investigating police conduct during those rallies," Rachel Denber, director of the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
It said the trials were held behind closed doors.
Azerbaijan, an energy supplier to Europe and a transit route for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, has been ruled by one family for nearly two decades since Soviet veteran Heydar Aliyev came to power in 1993. He was succeeded by his son Ilham in 2003.
Government opponents have vowed to stage more protests. Musavat and other opposition parties have applied for permission from the Baku city authorities for a rally on April 2.