A preparatory meeting in the case of Zamin Salayev, the head of the Salyan regionl organization of the Popular Front Party was held in the Garadagh District Court of Baku under the chairmanship of Judge Rufan Mursalov. The court has scheduled a hearing on the merits for May 11. Salayev told the court that the criminal case against him was a political order and in protest he had been on a hunger strike for the 85th day, a lawyer Nemat Kerimli told Turan. He said he would continue his hunger strike until the end. “It’s either freedom or death,” he said. The lawyer challenged the composition of the court, since Judge Mursalov had not previously granted the defense’s request to transfer Salaev to house arrest and could not be impartial. The defense also petitioned to terminate the criminal case on exculpatory grounds. However, the recusal and petitions were rejected. The leader of the PFPA Ali Kerimli, who was watching the trial, said: “A person on the 85th day of a hunger strike is brought to court in a regular paddy wagon. He can’t move himself. He’s barely alive. Such treatment of him is outright cruelty.” * Recall that on February 8, the Garadagh District Court of Baku arrested Salayev for three months. A criminal case has been initiated against him under Article 221.3 of the Criminal Code. The activist faces up to 5 years in prison. Zamin Salaev said in court that the accusation made against him is false and he is being punished for criticizing the authorities in social networks. Human rights activists recognized Salaev as a political prisoner.

Source: Turan News Agency