1.  An alliance of Azerbaijani opposition parties backed away Tuesday from a boycott of parliamentary elections next month, despite what they describe as foul play by the government.

2.  Amnesty International said a leading Azerbaijani opposition politician is too ill to stand trial next week on treason charges, a news report said Saturday.

3.  Four journalists with an Azerbaijani opposition newspaper were injured Friday when they clashed with police during a protest of a libel lawsuit against the paper, its editor said.

4.  Seven Azerbaijani opposition leaders were sentenced Tuesday to forced labor for taking part in a bloody protest over presidential elections that they said were undemocratic.

5.  Azerbaijani opposition deputies meanwhile said they strongly opposed any compromise agreement with the Armenians.

6.  Several other Azerbaijani opposition figures have taken refuge in Moscow, including the former president Ayaz Mutalibov and former prime minister Surat Guseynov.