Political prisoner Emin Sagiev continued his hunger strike despite relatives' requests

The diseases of Emin Sagiev, who has been on his hunger strike in the Azerbaijani colony for 21 days, have aggravated. His wife says that his heart problems have worsened.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in 2018, Emin Sagiev, a relative of the journalist Tyurkel Azertyurk, was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of drug dealing. Azertyurk believes that his relative is persecuted because of Tyurkel's work in oppositional media abroad. After the Supreme Court (SC) of Azerbaijan has refused to satisfy the appeal against his verdict, Sagiev went on a hunger strike, insisting on his innocence.

"Representatives of the Ombudsperson say that since the activist's demands are not related to the custody conditions, they cannot influence the situation. The demands have to do with the verdict itself," lawyer Bakhruz Bairamov, an advocate, has noted.

Rasul Djafarov, the head of the Baku Human Rights Club, believes that the most "realistic option" for Sagiev's release may be pardoning.

"He or his family should address their pardoning petition to the president ... However, it is advisable to stop the hunger strike before pardoning, because it can severely undermine his health. True, if there is a real threat to his life, they may appoint forced nutrition to him ... but this is an extremely undesirable way," Mr Djafarov has stated.