Editor of the "Azadlyg" newspaper arrested in Azerbaijan stops his hunger strike

Today in the morning, Ganimat Zakhidov, editor-in-chief of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, who is in custody in Azerbaijan, has suspended his hunger strike.

The journalist has agreed to temporarily stop his protest action after the conversation of the administration of the Investigatory Isolation Facility (SIZO) No. 1 with him and his family, the "Trend" reports with reference to the Public Relations Centre of the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan. According to the press service the health condition of Mr Zakhidov is normal.

The day before yesterday, on December 13, Arzu Abdullaeva, Chair of the Committee in Defence of the Freedom of Speech and Press of Azerbaijan sent a message to Ganimat Zakhidov asking him to suspend his hunger strike, since he is supporting 4 minor children and the action would tell negatively on his rheumatism and other illnesses.

Elchin Bekhbudov, Chairman of the Committee against Torture, said that the editor-in-chief during the meeting with him had refused to stop his action, until his demands were fulfilled.

According to the information of the "Interfax", which was quoting Azir Akhmedov, the editor of the newspaper, Ganimat Zakhidov has stopped his week-long hunger strike, having conceded to numerous appeals of party leaders, human rights organizations and his colleagues.