Mother of Fazil Gasimov, who is on a hunger strike for the 45th day, asks the public for help

The mother of economist Fazil Gasimov, who is on a hunger strike for the 45th day in prison, appealed to the public on July 28 to help free her son and save him from death.

The appeal states that the economist is on a hunger strike for the 45th day against his unjustified arrest.

“My son Fazil Gasimov is rapidly losing weight. In 45 days, his weight has dropped from 67 kg to 49 kg. He has developed acute pain in his kidneys and stomach. As a mother, I cannot stand how my son is dying painfully before my eyes. I ask you: save the life of my son, a young scientist,” T. Gasimova said in her appeal.

She further points out that another defendant in this criminal case, Anar Aliyev, who gave false testimony against her son, is a native of the Zangilan region.

"I ask the intelligentsia, aksakals (elders), respected women of this region to appeal to the President (of Azerbaijan) to assist in stopping the criminal case against my son and releasing him," the economist's mother further notes.

She asks the Azerbaijani public in general to save her son from death.

"My son has faced great injustice, slander, and therefore has been starving for 45 days, not eating. Despite our persistent requests, pleas, he stubbornly states that he will not eat until the criminal case against him is stopped," T. Gasimova states.

On July 28, F. Gasimov had a telephone conversation with his relatives.

"Fazil's voice is already hoarse, he does not even have the strength to speak. We begged him to start eating. However, he refused and said that he would continue the hunger strike until the end. Fazil is under supervision at the medical institution. He also refuses treatment. The management of the institution said that if Fazil loses consciousness, he will be forcibly fed. Fazil asked not to do this," F. Gasimov's brother Nazim Gasimov told Turan on July 28 after talking to the economist.

* Fazil Gasimov was detained in Türkiye on August 7, 2023, brought to Azerbaijan and charged under Article 204.3.1 (manufacture, purchase or sale of counterfeit money as part of an organized group) of the Criminal Code.The investigation claims that he handed over fake money to opposition politician Gubad Ibadoglu, who was later arrested.

Recently, Gasimov, in his appeal to the Prosecutor General, the Ombudswoman, the local and international community, stated that he gave these statements under torture. He retracted these statements, saying that he had not given Ibadoglu counterfeit money, and had never had discussions with him on FETO (the movement of preacher Fethullah Gulen, recognized in Türkiye as a terrorist organization).

Since June 14, Gasimov has been on a hunger strike to protest against unjustified criminal prosecution and torture at the beginning of the investigation.