Nine activists of opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan were arrested in Baku

Nine activists of the opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan trying to picket a building of the Central Election Commission again were arrested yesterday in Baku. The picketers have been striving for two weeks for the registration of their party leader Rasul Guliyev as a candidate for the post of the country's president.

They also demand resignation of the recently appointed prime-minister Ilykham Aliyev, a son of today's president Geydar Aliyev.

Political atmosphere in the republic distinctly glowed because of extremely discrepant information on the health of Geydar Aliyev sent for treatment to the US. A presidential election in Azerbaijan is set for October 15.