Open Letter

To Mr. Anar IsrafilovDeputy Executive Director of TABIB

A Formal Reply Instead of Medical Assistance?

Dear Mr. Anar Israfilov,

Representatives of the human rights community and I have repeatedly appealed to TABIB to ensure that human rights defender Oktay Gulaliyev, who is in a paralysis and has a first-degree disability status, receives the necessary medications, medical supplies, as well as medical and rehabilitation services provided for under the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Our appeals were not accidental. They were prompted by systematic disruptions in the provision of life-sustaining medicines and medical supplies to a critically ill individual.

As early as September 13, 2025, Azerbaijani human rights defenders submitted a collective appeal to TABIB, stating that the medicines and medical supplies necessary to sustain Oktay Gulaliyev’s life were being delivered irregularly and with prolonged delays. The appeal noted that instead of monthly provision, deliveries were often made only three or four times a year.

As the situation remained unchanged, on April 10, 2026, a follow-up appeal was submitted containing a detailed list of medications and medical consumables required on a monthly basis. These included anticoagulants, anti-seizure medications, tracheostomy care supplies, urine collection bags, sterile materials, specialized hygiene products, and other essential items without which it is impossible to provide proper care for a person in a comatose condition.

In addition, on January 19, 2026, a group of well-known Azerbaijani human rights defenders appealed separately to TABIB, requesting that the issue of organizing a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program for Oktay Gulaliyev be considered. The appeal emphasized that following the severe traumatic brain injury he sustained in 2019, he has still not undergone a full course of specialized rehabilitation despite his extremely serious condition and years of dependence on continuous medical care.

Instead of receiving a substantive response to the issues raised, I received a letter signed by you that referred to Article 53 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Protection of Public Health” and the provisions concerning medical confidentiality.

Such a response raises serious concerns.

None of my appeals requested the disclosure of the patient's diagnosis, medical history, examination results, or any other confidential medical information. The issue concerned solely the fulfillment by a state medical institution of its obligations to provide a person with a first-degree disability with medications, medical supplies, rehabilitation measures, and other services guaranteed by law.

Moreover, after receiving your response, Oktay Gulaliyev’s legal representative and official guardian, his son Tabriz Gulaliyev, submitted a written statement to TABIB confirming his consent to the disclosure of the necessary information related to this matter. Thus, even the formal obstacle cited in your letter was removed.

Despite this, no substantive response to the issues raised has been provided.

As of today, the following questions remain unanswered:

•  Why is a person suffering from post-stroke neurological deficits (paralysis) and classified as a first-degree disabled individual not provided with the necessary medications and medical supplies in full and on a regular basis?
• What measures has TABIB taken following the numerous appeals from relatives and human rights defenders?
• Why has a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program not been organized during the seven years following the severe injury?
• What medical and social services are being provided to Oktay Gulaliyev within the framework of the state's obligations toward persons with disabilities?
• Who is specifically responsible for the failure to fulfill, or the improper fulfillment of, these obligations?

According to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” the state is obliged to ensure access to medical care, rehabilitation, and necessary support services for persons with disabilities. Azerbaijani healthcare legislation also requires state authorities to create conditions for the treatment, rehabilitation, and preservation of the health of citizens who require constant care.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which obliges state authorities to ensure non-discriminatory access to healthcare services and to take all necessary measures to maintain the highest attainable standard of health and quality of life for persons with disabilities.

In this regard, I respectfully request that you:

• Provide an official and substantive response to all of the issues raised.
• Inform the public of the measures taken to ensure that Oktay Gulaliyev receives the necessary medications and medical supplies.
• Explain the reasons for the systematic disruptions in the provision of essential treatment and care supplies.
• Clarify whether the issue of organizing inpatient rehabilitation has been considered and what decisions have been taken.
• Provide information regarding the list of medical and social services that should be made available to Oktay Gulaliyev as a person with a first-degree disability.
• Ensure regular and timely provision of all necessary medications and medical supplies in accordance with medical requirements.
• Consider referring Oktay Gulaliyev for a full inpatient rehabilitation program at a specialized medical institution.

Instead of a Conclusion

I believe it is necessary to add a few words of my own.

Since the very first day of the tragedy that befell Oktay Gulaliyev in October 2019, I have been actively involved in matters related to his treatment, rehabilitation, and social support. Throughout all these years, I have maintained constant communication with state authorities, medical institutions, human rights organizations, and representatives of civil society, seeking solutions to issues related to his medical treatment, access to medications, and provision of medical supplies.

This is well known to many public officials, employees of state institutions, journalists, and human rights defenders. That is precisely why I am sincerely surprised by TABIB’s formal approach to this issue and its lack of a meaningful response to the numerous appeals submitted over the past several years.

For more than six years, I have visited Oktay Gulaliyev over three hundred times, and I continue to do so today. I do this neither out of professional obligation nor at anyone’s request. I do it out of respect for a man who devoted many years of his life to defending the rights and freedoms of the citizens of Azerbaijan.

Oktay Gulaliyev is one of the most prominent figures in Azerbaijan’s human rights movement. Thanks to his principled stance and persistent efforts, numerous cases of human rights violations and abuses of power by public officials became known to the wider public. Among these, a special place belongs to the so-called “Tartar Case,” the investigation and public exposure of which became possible, in part, due to his active work. Subsequently, the state itself was compelled to acknowledge that serious violations of the law had occurred within the framework of those events.

I do not possess evidence that would allow me to claim a direct connection between Oktay Gulaliyev’s human rights activities and the tragedy that led to his current condition. However, as a journalist and as someone who closely followed his work for many years, I believe it is fair to express my personal opinion: his active civic position and determination to pursue justice may have made him an inconvenient figure for many influential individuals.

Regardless of the causes of what happened, one undeniable fact remains: today, Oktay Gulaliyev is in an extremely serious condition and is entirely dependent on the quality and timeliness of the assistance he receives. Therefore, this is not merely a matter of administrative procedures or formal obligations. It is a matter of human destiny.

I am convinced that the state has a special responsibility to care for those who have dedicated their lives to defending the rights of citizens and the public interest. Ensuring that Oktay Gulaliyev receives the medications, medical supplies, proper care, and rehabilitation he requires is not merely a medical or social issue. It is a matter of justice, humanity, respect for human dignity, and the responsibility of the state toward its citizens.

The way a society treats its most vulnerable members has always been a measure of the maturity of the state and the effectiveness of its institutions. The fate of Oktay Gulaliyev is not merely a personal tragedy affecting one family. It is a test for the entire healthcare and social protection system, a test of its ability to act not formally, but substantively and responsibly.

For this reason, I hope that this appeal will not be perceived as just another complaint, but rather as a call for accountability, justice, and humanity.

Respectfully,

Mehman Aliyev, Director,
Turan Analytical Service