Political prisoner Saleh Rustamov has been on hunger strike for 30 days, demanding his release.
Lawyer Bahruz Bayramov told Turan that from December 6, Rustamov intends to go on a dry hunger strike.
On December 5, the leader of the Popular Front Party, Ali Karimli, appealed to him, urging him to abandon this step.
At the same time, he called on the authorities to immediately release Rustamov, taking into account the threat to his life.
“It’s hard for us to watch how our ideological ally is being destroyed before our very eyes. We cannot silently observe this. If there is no other way to save him, we will go out into the streets and squares demanding the release of Salekh Rustamov, whatever the cost. We are not doing this yet, taking into account the proposals of human rights defenders who are negotiating with the authorities, ”Karimli wrote on his facebook page.
“Abandoning water will hasten his death. The authorities must understand that the death of Salekh Rustamov from a hunger strike will exacerbate the political crisis in the country. I ask Saleh bey not to encroach on my life. Under no circumstances should you start a dry hunger strike. He is responsible to society, friends, his children. I ask him to give the authorities and society a few more days, ”Karimli notes.
He emphasizes that the opposition does not want to draw international attention to the country with protests on the eve of the Eastern Partnership summit.
“But the government also has to take into account national interests,” he notes.
On December 6, Rustamov’s lawyers will appeal to the Nizami District Court to release him from the remainder of the term for health reasons.
“Salekh Rustamov has chronic diseases, including kidney failure. At the same time, the prolonged hunger strike exacerbated health problems. Therefore, we will go to court to be released from serving the remainder of the sentence. There are no obstacles to this in the legislation, ”lawyer Agil Laidj wrote on his facebook account.
* Supporter of the Popular Front Party, veteran of the first Karabakh war, Saleh Rustamov, was arrested in May 2018 and sentenced to 7 years 3 months in prison on a falsified case of “illegal financing of the Popular Front Party”.
Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner. On November 6, he began an indefinite hunger strike demanding his release.
Source: Turan News Agency