Campaign in defence of Gubad Ibadoglu grows in US Congress

Baku/06.09.23/Turan: Three more US congressmen, Tom Kean, Gerry Connolly and Bill Keating, have joined the calls to release opposition politician and economist Gubad Ibadoglu. Keating wrote about it on his social media page X.

The congressmen called for respecting the rights of the academic economist, providing him with medication and fair justice.

"The state of health of Gubad Ibadoglu, who, according to his lawyers, is losing weight at an accelerated rate and is deprived of the ability to receive medication, is of great concern to us. We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to respect the constitutionally enshrined rights of all citizens.

According to the politician's brother Galib Bayramov, the Congressional Committee to Protect Freedoms has also joined the defence of Ibadoglu's rights, and the Human Rights Commission is planning to organise a hearing on Ibadoglu's case. The initiator of the event is Chris Smith.

Galib Bayramov also appealed to the Ambassadors of the USA, UK, Germany and France in Azerbaijan to provide assistance in ensuring medical examination of Ibadoglu in one of the private clinics in Baku.

Bayramov notes that even before his arrest his brother was suffering from heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and others.

During 45 days of detention in the pre-trial detention centre with lack of air and psychological pressure, his condition worsened and he developed a thyroid goitre. He was diagnosed with hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart.

Due to neurosis, he has chronic fatigue and headaches. Ultrasound examination revealed negative changes in the kidneys and gall bladder.

In the pre-trial detention centre Ibadoglu had three times (25 July, 3 August, 1 September) electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, X-ray and ultrasound examinations, 5 times blood samples were taken for analysis. However, despite appeals to the Main Medical Directorate of the Ministry of Justice and the Penitentiary Service, Ibadoglu's relatives have not been given the results of these examinations. ICRC representatives are not allowed to visit Ibadoglu nor given the results of the examinations.

"It was also not possible to obtain the results of examinations through the court. The certificate of the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice to the court said that Gubad Ibadoglu's condition was 'satisfactory', but no medical indicators were given," Bayramov notes.

*On 24 July, the Narimanov district court of Baku arrested Gubad Ibadoglu for 3 months and 26 days on charges of making counterfeit money. Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said Ibadoglu is linked to supporters of Fethullah Gulen, accused of a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey. On 25 August, he was charged with another charge of "production, storage or distribution of religious extremist materials".

Gubad Ibadoglu rejects the charges, considering them absurd. Many international organisations and officials have called on official Baku to immediately release the politician. -16В-