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Protests disrupted in Azerbaijan

Riot police scattered hundreds of opposition supporters protesting in Azerbaijan`s capital in defiance of a ban this week, beating some with truncheons and dragging several away as tensions mounted ahead of parliamentary elections which are set to be held next month. International criticism of the Azerbaijani government`s treatment of protestors has been harsh at times, muted at others.

Still, many Azerbaijani citizens themselves aren`t afraid to voice their condemnations. "This is how they smother freedom," said Jafar Bakhash, an opposition supporter leaning on a wooden cane and standing near the fray. "I`m 65, but I will fight to the end of my life."

A riot police unit pushed back dozens of protesters, some carrying red carnations, as they made their way down a narrow street toward one of the squares where opposition rallies were planned in this oil-rich former Soviet republic. The elections next month are seen by observers as a key test and indicator of what direction the country will head in the near future.