Just after many major opposition leaders were released from prison, they’ve decided to make Aliyev regret it. In the beginning of April, the three main Azeri opposition parties will unite and stage a protest against the government.

BAKU. March 28 (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – Three Azerbaijani opposition groups – the Popular Front, the Democratic Party and Musavat – have decided to join forces in a protest action early next month, Popular Front leader Ali Kerimli said on Monday.

Kerimli said at a meeting of the Popular Front leadership the date for the start of the action would be agreed upon within days.

Eurasianet has a keen analysis up as usual. Of particular note:

Members of the “group of seven” said their fight “for the democratization of Azerbaijan” has just begun. Huseynov, one of those recently released from prison, does not believe that Aliyev????????s decree will usher in a new era of harmony in relations between the authorities and opposition. “One decree will not be able to solve the problem of political prisoners,” Huseynov told EurasiaNet. “Only a democratic revolution can eliminate this regime.”

Other freed opposition leaders agreed. “The only support the authorities have today is from law enforcement bodies, but activation of the political fight will deprive them of it,” said Jalaloglu.

Azerbaijan????????s opposition has been fragmented since the October 2003 crack-down that led to the arrest of hundreds of government critics, journalists and human rights activists. Opposition parties made only a haphazard showing in December 2004 municipal elections. But on March 18, three main opposition parties ?????? Musavat, the Popular Front and the Democratic Party — announced the formation of a coalition for the November 2005 parliamentary elections.
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Though Aliyev????????s pardon freed political prisoners, it did not meet the OSCE????????s demand that the opposition activists be formally acquitted of the charges against. Under existing legislation, the still-standing convictions could bar the freed opposition activists from running for a seat in parliament. In addition, officials have expressed no intention to investigate charges that law enforcement officers tortured the October prisoners. Opposition leaders, including Panah Huseynov and Igbal Agazade, leader of the Umid Party, have said that they plan to petition the European Court of Human Rights regarding the torture of prisoners, and to secure an acquittal for the charges brought against them. “A crime was perpetrated against us, and we suffered from torture,” Huseynov said. “Both the organizers and executors of this crime have to be punished.”

If Aliyev were to prevent these candidates from running, it is quite possibly the stupidest move he could possibly make. As is highlighted in the article, the 2003 presidential elections have already demonstrated the will of the people of Azerbaijan to protest. Any particularly confronting moves like this would mobilize the opposition even quicker than it is already. If there is any trend to be noticed, however, it is that the various oppositions are learning. They realize that they can settle the rest of their differences after achieving democratization.

United we stand, or divided we fall, right?