In Baku, woman-hunger-striker is hospitalized

Today, at 2:50 p.m. an ambulance brought Sayara Geidarova, earlier accused of beating four males at a time on April 1, 2005, and now announcing another hunger strike, to Baku-based Efendiev Hospital No. 2. Geidarova's condition is estimated as grave.

On February 16, 2006, the Surakhan Court sentenced Ms Geidarova to 3.5 years of conditional imprisonment under Article 221 ("Hooliganism") of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. On March 5, 2006, the Appeal Court acquitted Geidarova and cancelled the verdict of the Surakhan Court.

However, 20 months later, on November 9, 2007, Judge of the Surakhan Court Lyatif Nabiev sent Geidarova to Hospital No. 1 for mental patients located in Mashtaga village. On November 21, 2007, Judge of the same Court Natavan Tagieva sentenced Geidarova to custody at SIZO No. 3 without specifying the term.

In 2008, Sayara Geidarova, who went on hunger strike in custody, got physically exhausted and was awarded Category 2 of physical inability.

However, the litigation in the Surakhan District Court continued, and sessions on the case on April 7 and April 14 were held under Judge Nuryaddin Mustafaev.

The Geidarova's criminal case contains no judgement of the Appeal Court on her acquittal and no information about return of the case to the first instance for a new consideration.