05:52, 21 October 2026

Polad Aslanov has been hospitalized.

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The journalist Polad Aslanov, who declared a hunger strike in protest against the restrictions imposed by the Azerbaijani authorities on wearing the hijab, has been hospitalized in a medical facility of the penitentiary service.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on October 8, the convicted editor-in-chief of the online publications Xeberman.com and Press-az.com, Polad Aslanov, declared a hunger strike in colony No. 15 in protest against the violation of the rights of schoolgirls, including his daughter, and female teachers wearing hijabs. He believes that the dress code restrictions violate Article 48 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, which guarantees freedom of conscience. At the same time, Aslanov's 13-year-old daughter refused to comply with the ban on wearing hijabs at school despite pressure from teachers. Authorities threatened her mother with imprisonment for supporting protests against the school dress code.

Since October 12, school leaders in Azerbaijan have not allowed teachers and schoolgirls who refused to remove their hijabs to attend classes. Around several schools in Baku, students and teachers held lessons in the street in protest. On October 13, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the detention of 37 participants in the protests, while activists claimed that more than 200 had been detained.

Journalist Polad Aslanov, who declared a hunger strike on October 12 in protest against the ban on wearing hijabs in educational institutions, was transferred to a medical facility of the penitentiary service, Meyvan.tv reported on October 20, citing the journalist's wife, Gulmira Aslanova. According to her, she was informed about her husband's hospitalization in the colony.

It is also reported that another inmate, Zeynal Bayramov, who observes religious prescriptions, declared a hunger strike alongside Aslanov. He is also being held in a punishment cell.

Recall that on November 16, 2020, the court sentenced Polad Aslanov to 16 years in prison, finding him guilty of treason. The journalist's appeal was not granted, and the cassation court reduced his sentence by three years, to 13 years in prison. The convicted man's wife believes that her husband is being persecuted for covering human rights violations and the cases of political prisoners. International journalist organizations have called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release Aslanov.

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Translated automatically via OpenAI from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/427652