19:18, 4 March 2013

In Azerbaijan, convicted journalist Allakhverdiev to go on hunger strike

In Azerbaijan, the journalist Faramaz Allakhverdiev, who was sentenced to 4.5 years of deprivation of freedom, plans to go on hunger strike since March 5. This was reported by his advocate Fariz Namazly.

Allakhverdiev was found guilty of calling to mass disorders and illegal state border crossing and sentenced to 4.5 years of deprivation of freedom in a high security colony. The journalist denied the charges and said that he was persecuted for his published articles about corruption in the supreme echelons of power.

Faramaz Allakhverdiev plans his hunger strike because the Supreme Court had dismissed his complaint against the verdict, said Namazly. The consideration of the appeal complaint of the journalist without any repeated judicial consideration was scheduled for March 15 at the Baku Court of Appeal.

With the aim to draw attention to violation of his rights, Allakhverdiev will go on hunger strike starting March 5; he plans to sew up his mouth not to let the personnel nourish him by force, said Fariz Namazly.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent