Azerbaijan: more hunger-strikers demanding release of convicted activists

In Azerbaijan, number of hunger-strikers demanding to release from prison the oppositionists, recognized by the international human rights organization "Amnesty International" as "prisoner of conscience", increased from 12 to 19. Convicted oppositionists are on hunger strike at prisons, and their free supporters are also on hunger strike.

One of prisoners stops hunger-striking because of illness

According to Gyulaga Aslanly, Secretary of the Coordination Council of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC), 10 persons out of 11 "prisoners of conscience", which are currently in prisons, continue the hunger strike.

"Only Zulfugar Eivazly, who suffers from diabetes, stopped participating in the hunger strike at the urging of his comrades," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Gyulaga Aslanly.

According to the activist, the health state of many hunger-strikers has deteriorated. "We continue to urge them to stop the protest action," said Gyulaga Aslanly.

As far as the protest action, taking place at the headquarters of the "Musavat" Party is concerned, Bashkhanym Abbasova, (the mother of Tural Abbasly, "the prisoner of conscience"), Ibragim Gadjibeili (the father of Rufat Gadjibeili, "the prisoner of conscience"), the activists of the CMDPC, and Elshan Gasanov, the former "prisoner of conscience", have been on hunger strike for the fourth day already. Vafa Djumshudlu and Khagverdi Khagverdili, the members of the CMDPC, have been continuing the hunger strike for the third day.

Yegyana Amiraslanova, Lyatafyat Melikova, and Khanym Mirzoeva, the activists of the CMDPC, have been participating in the hunger strike for the second day.

"The health state of Melikova has deteriorated, she suffers from diabetes, and we urged her to stop participating in the protest action. She is most likely to stop the hunger strike today," stated Gyulaga Aslanly.

Today, Ali Gasanov, Deputy Chairman of the Sumgait city organization of the "Musavat" Party, joined the hunger strike.

According to Gyulaga Aslanly, the condition of the hunger-strikers, especially of those, who participate in the protest action starting from May 15 and 16, is apathic, and they have low blood pressure.

Gyulaga Aslanly has emphasized many people would like to take part in the hunger strike. "However, the number of the hunger-strikers is restricted, and the activists can participate in the hunger strike in turn," said the activist of the "Musavat" Party.

"Yesterday (on May 17), Elnur Medjidli, 'the prisoner of conscience', who was recently released, joined the protest action. However, the members of the 'Public Chamber' insisted that he should not participate in the hunger strike because of his poor health as a result of imprisonment. On the whole, the 'Public Chamber' urges 'the prisoner of conscience', remaining in prisons, not to participate in the hunger strike," emphasized Gyulaga Aslanly.

Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service denies ten hunger-striking in prisons

The Department of Public Relations of the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan stated that "the protest action involves only 2-3 prisoners." At the same time, a staff member of the Penitentiary Service has stressed that Arif Gadjily, the convicted head of the administration of the "Musavat" Party, does not participate in the hunger strike.

Meanwhile, as it became known to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Arif Gadjily sent an appeal to President Ilham Aliev, in which took responsibility for organizing the rallies, held last spring.

"It is known that I was the organizer of the peaceful rallies held on May 12 and April 2, 2011. If such acts are crimes, it is a great injustice to punish other people for that," writes Arif Gadjily. He urged Ilham Aliev to release all other "prisoners of conscience", but himself, "in the name of civil accord and the country's international image, around which a complex geopolitical situation is being formed."