Ali Kerimli called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Salekh Rustamov

Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) has urged Azerbaijani authorities not to delay the release of Salekh Rustamov, who has been on his protest hunger strike in the prison hospital for 30 days already.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on February 27, in Azerbaijan, Salekh Rustamov, a citizen of Russia, an activist of the Popular Front Party (PFPA), was sentenced to seven years and three months of imprisonment. Later, the Supreme Court (SC) reduced the sentence by two months. On November 6, Salekh Rustamov went on a hunger strike.

Today, Ali Kerimli, the PFPA leader, has called on the authorities to release Rustamov without delay, taking into account a threat to his life.

"It is hard for us to watch how our ideological ally is being killed before our eyes. We cannot silently observe this. If there is no other way to save him, we will go out into streets and squares demanding the release of Salekh Rustamov, no matter what hardships it may cost. But so far we cannot do this, for we take into account the proposal of human rights defenders who are discussing this issue with the authorities, 'in order not to radicalize the political relations in the current situation'," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has translated Mr Kerimli's words.

He gas also recalled that from December 6, Rustamov intends to start a dry hunger strike. "His refusal to drink water will hasten his death. Authorities should understand that the death of Salekh Rustamov as a result of his hunger strike will bring the political crisis in the country to a peak and open the way to catastrophic scenarios," Ali Kerimli wrote in his Facebook page.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 5, 2021 at 10:52 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.