Four activists go on hunger strike in Azerbaijani prisons

Ilkin Rustamzade, Bairam Mamedov, Akhsan Nuruzade, and Elchin Ismayilli went on a hunger strike with the demand to release all political prisoners in the country.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 26, 2018, Mekhman Guseinov announced a dry hunger strike in the colony, where he was serving his term, in protest against the new criminal case opened against him. During the hunger strike, Mekhman had severely undermined his health, and began taking liquid dairy products, because of severe stomach pains, but still refuses any other food, his brother and the advocate have stated.

In the evening on January 13, media and social networks made public a facsimile copy of a joint appeal to the public prepared by Ilkin Rustamzade, Bairam Mamedov, Akhsan Nuruzade, and Elchin Ismayilli, who are serving their sentences at the penal colony No. 13.

According to the authors of the appeal, after what had happened to Mekhman Guseinov (a new charge had been brought against him), they decided to "resist repressions together" (the appeal was translated by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent).

"Starting from today (January 13), we go on a hunger strike and we believe that other political prisoners will join our protest," the activists state in their appeal.

They note that "if political prisoners do not show their unity today, then everyone will face the fate of Mekhman Guseinov tomorrow."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 14, 2019 at 01:30 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.