The court in Baku postponed the hearing on the case of Vugar Mamedov due to his health condition.

In Baku, the court hearing on the case of the editor-in-chief of the Hürriyyət newspaper, Vugar Mamedov, has been postponed due to a deterioration in his health, reported lawyer Rovshan Ragimov. The defense stated the need to transfer the journalist to a specialized medical institution and expressed concern over the lack of information regarding his diagnosis and treatment.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the preliminary investigation into the case of the editor-in-chief of the Hurriyyet newspaper, the Hurriyyet.az website, and the Hurriyyet TV project, Vugar Mamedov, was completed in April. Colleagues of the journalist claimed that the charges were fabricated and urged the Attorney General to take personal control of the case. On May 4, Mamedov explained to the court in Baku that he was accused of extortion from companies that had been advertisers of the publication several years ago. Legal entities were unlawfully recognized as victims, the lawyer pointed out, but the court refused to close the criminal case.

The hearing in the Baku Serious Crimes Court regarding the criminal case of the editor-in-chief of the Hürriyyət newspaper and the hurriyyət.az website, Vugar Mamedov, was postponed on August 3 due to a deterioration in his health, lawyer Rovshan Ragimov told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot".

"A few days ago, Vugar Mamedov was placed in the Medical Institution of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan.

However, we have not received any response to our inquiries sent to the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Medical Institution of the Penitentiary Service regarding his current health status, diagnosis, treatment results, and other issues," she noted.

"In addition to our lawyer's request, the court also sent letters to the specified institutions. However, we still have no information from any of the mentioned agencies," Ragimov said.

Mamedov's relatives and defense believe that for effective medical assistance, he should be transferred either to a specialized state medical institution or a private clinic for inpatient treatment.

The lawyer explained that according to the law, it is permissible to transfer prisoners for treatment to civilian clinics under the escort of Penitentiary Service staff and to accompany the detainee throughout their stay in the hospital.

Ragimov reported that she had appealed to the Minister of Justice Farid Akhmedov, requesting to take control of the issue related to Mamedov's health condition and to assist in taking measures to ensure him effective medical care.

In July, Vugar Mamedov's heart condition sharply worsened, and there was a threat of kidney failure, reported his brother Jasur Mamedov.

He noted that the lack of proper medical assistance for a long time led to Vugar Mamedov being in critical condition.

Relatives saw Vugar Mamedov in the pre-trial detention center on July 22.

"Vugar's legs were severely swollen, and he had difficulty moving. Vugar's condition was rapidly deteriorating, and only after he was in a critical state was he transferred to the hospital of the Penitentiary Service," noted Jasur Mamedov.

In his view, for effective treatment and recovery, Vugar Mamedov needs the services of highly qualified specialists, which requires hospitalization in a specialized state or private medical institution.

"Caucasian Knot" currently does not have a comment from the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan.