Mother of Farid Safarli arrested in Iran worried about her son's condition

The psychological condition of Azerbaijani citizen Farid Safarli, who is accused of espionage by the Iranian authorities, has greatly deteriorated, said his mother Dilara Askerova. She fears that the young man may take his own life. Askerova called on the authorities to facilitate her son's release as soon as possible.

Askerova told Turan that she talks to her son by phone every day.

"Farid's psychological state has been tense lately. I am a doctor myself and I feel that my son is depressed. Prison doctors have examined Farid and prescribed treatment. But Farid has refused to take the medication. He is doing this in protest against his unjust arrest and he is afraid that he will be given addictive drugs," Askerova said.

Safarli also fears that his arrest will be extended after his two-year prison sentence has expired. Askerova believes that the Azerbaijani authorities are not doing enough to free her son. She called on the Azerbaijani government to take effective action.

*Farid Safarli, an Azerbaijani citizen studying in Germany, disappeared in March 2003 in Iran, where he had travelled to meet an acquaintance with whom he was studying. The Iranian authorities later confirmed that he had been arrested on charges of espionage.

The charge was later changed to "intentional espionage". In August, Safarli was sentenced to two years of imprisonment. In November, the Iranian Court of Appeals upheld the sentence.