Convicted journalist Faramaz Allahverdiev in Azerbaijan went on a hunger strike, his brother reports

Journalist Faramaz Allahverdiev sentenced to 4,5 years of custody in Azerbaijan has been on a hunger strike since the day of announcement of the verdict demanding immediate release, his brother Gurban Allahverdiev told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent today.

According to the convict’s brother, after the end of the trial Allahverdiev’s parents wanted to pass food to him but he refused saying that he was going on a hunger strike.

“Yesterday we brought a parcel with food to the investigative isolation ward in the settlement of Kiurdakhany, Baku, but they refused to take the parcel there. We asked whether Faramaz was on a hunger strike and they said “yes”, Gurban Allahverdiev concerned about his brother’s state said.

“Faramaz has a strong sense of justice. He is irreconcilable to any unlawfulness and takes extreme measures to protest against it. In 2007 while serving his custody term he sewed up his mouth as a sign of protest against the unfair verdict. All these later had a negative impact on his health”, Gurban Allahverdiev said. He added that his cousin was a follower of the ideas of freedom and democracy and earlier underwent pressure repeatedly.

“I do not know what exactly he wrote. I have been living in Turkey during recent years and only came to Baku in connection with the trial on Faramaz’s case. As far as I could understand from his speech in court, he posted two articles criticizing corruption on social networks, that is why he was convicted”, Gurban Allahverdiev said.  

He added that because of financial problems Faramaz Allahverdiev could not hire an independent attorney and the state one in fact took a side with the prosecution.

PR Department of Penal Service of Azerbaijan did not confirm the information of Allahverdiev’s hunger strike. “There was no written report from Faramaz Allahverdiev about his intention of going on a hunger strike”, an official of the Department said.