Anar Mammadli's health worsened in the pre-trial detention center

The arrested head of the  Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDSC) Anar Mammadli's health has deteriorated, his family  said after a meeting with a human rights defender in the Baku pre-trial detention center-1. Prior to his arrest, Mammadli was receiving treatment for obstructive bronchitis, requiring breguinal inhalation. After the arrest, it continues to deteriorate under the  constant absence  of fresh air.  He suffers from shortness of breath and attacks of suffocation. Two years ago Mammadli was diagnosed with herniated discs L4-L5 and intervertebral disc protrusion L5-S1.

Now, he   has severe pain because he is deprived of the opportunity to sleep on a specially orthopedic mattress. The conditions of detention do not allow him to take normal daily walks, breathe fresh air.

The management of the pre-trial detention center does not allow him an orthopedic mattress, the use of which would alleviate the pain. His relatives consider it necessary to release him as soon as possible in order to continue treatment.

*Anar Mammadli was arrested on April 30 on charges of smuggling by conspiracy by a group of persons (Article206.3.2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.) Initially, he was involved in the “Abzas Media case". Subsequently, his case was separated into a separate proceeding.

Numerous international organizations and the US State Department have called on the Azerbaijani government to immediately release Anar Mammadli and other imprisoned journalists and activists. Over the past few months, criminal cases have been initiated against 17 activists and journalists, 15 of them are in custody.