QUBA, Azerbaijan, March 1 (UPI) -- Amid rioting, protesters in Azerbaijan said they were outraged an official was accusing residents of the city of Quba of being traitors for selling their land.
Rauf Habibov, the governor of the northeastern city of Quba, said residents were "traitors" for selling land. They've "sold out," he said in a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty report.
Quba residents were given land by authorities as part of an agricultural reform program. RFE/RL said most residents are too poor to work the land, however.
Protesters took to the streets to demand Habibov resign. Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to quiet the unrest.
One demonstrator told the news agency they were frustrated Habibov was accusing his constituents of treason.
The protests in Azerbaijan are the largest demonstrations outside of the capital Baku since 2003. No injuries were reported, though RFE/RL said more demonstrations were planned for Friday.
