As the November parliamentary race is unfolding in Azerbaijan, Aliyev’s government has decided to start early and wage a campaign of far among opposition supporters. A protest among several opposition and youth groups was planned over the last week for Saturday, but the police cracked down and arrested dozens of leaders and activists. All of this simply to sow the seeds of repression.

BAKU, May 20 (AFP) – A top official in Azerbaijan on Friday defended a crackdown by authorities on political opposition movements ahead of a planned anti-government rally, as the oil-rich republic faced a barrage of western
criticism.

“Those people who incite disturbances of the peace should know … the state’s interests are above those of political functionaries,” Azeri Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov said at a meeting with journalists, referring to opposition figures.

Up to 40 opposition activists have been arrested in recent days for alleged minor infractions such as disturbing the peace and resisting arrest ahead of the anti-government rally planned for Saturday, according to Qabil Huseynli, deputy head of the opposition party Musavat (Equality).

Students for Global Democracy reports on the arrest of the YOX! pro-democracy youth group coordinator, with a statement released from the group. The charges of “resisting the police” seems to be completely bogus, because as the story goes, he was invited to a tea house by a local policeman where he was then arrested.

One of the more bizarre stories is that of the death of an opposition leader. It’s not ordinary death, however, and is the second of its kind. He just died, for no known reason at all.

BAKU, May 19 (AFP) – A dissident leader recently released from prison died under mysterious circumstances during a crackdown on the Azerbaijan opposition involving 29 arrests in two days, opposition parties said Thursday.

Ehtiram Jalilov, 35, deputy head of Azerbaijan’s National Democratic Party, became the second opposition activist to die in unexplained circumstances this year, an allied opposition party, Musavat (Equality), said.

Jalilov was sipping tea with a colleague on Wednesday when he slumped dead at the table, according to Qabil Huseynli, deputy head of Musavat, one of the former Soviet republic’s best known opposition parties.

In February, a 21-year-old Musavat activist died under similar circumstances.

Huseynli called for the creation of an international panel of doctors to investigate the deaths, saying that medics the party has consulted believe “the deaths could have been caused by an unknown powder used by the special services against undesirables.”

Twenty nine opposition activists, 18 of them Musavat party members, have been arrested over the past two days for minor infractions such as disturbing the peace and resisting arrest ahead of an anti-government rally planned for Saturday, Huseynli said.

Undoubtedly, arrests aimed to curb opposition strength will increase as the elections draw nearer. It is also unclear whether or not the various parties will be able to pull together in time. This action taken by the government, however, should demonstrate to them just exactly what they have to fight for. I have a feeling that the more action Aliyev takes, the more the opposition and pro-democracy groups will realize this, as they must have already. They plan to go ahead with the rally, despite threats.

There is another good post about this at Tim Russo’s blog, who explains that the situation in Azerbaijan is much less complex than in other post-Soviet countries. Great notes left in the comments section as well.