Protest actions held in Nardaran, a village near Baku

PanARMENIAN.Net - Protesters in Azerbaijan took to the streets again to protest a shortage of gas and electricity and vowed to hold rallies every Friday until their demands are met, according to reports.

Some of the hundreds of demonstrators who rallied in Imam Huseyn Square in the center of Nardaran, a village near Baku, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that despite government assurances that the energy infrastructure in the area had been upgraded, the supply of gas and electricity to the community had not increased.

Azerbaijan is a major exporter of energy resources.

Protesters said they were closely watching the self-proclaimed efforts of President Ilham Aliyev to combat widespread corruption in Azerbaijan to monitor any improvements.

In recent weeks Aliyev has called on Azerbaijanis to report instances of corruption by state workers and has reportedly fired many government officials for allegedly being involved in graft.

Some demonstrators also talked about disappointment in what they called "false elections" that have been held in the country in recent years.

The residents of Nardaran, a community of some 8,000 people about 25 kilometers northeast of Baku, are considered among the most fervent Muslims in Azerbaijan.

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