Preliminary investigation of Fazil Gasymov, who has been on hunger strike for 35 days, has been completed

The preliminary investigation against economist Fazil Gasymov, who has been on a hunger strike for 35 days in the pre-trial detention centre, has been completed.

At present, Gasymov and his lawyers are familiarising themselves with the seven-volume criminal case, his defender Rovshana Rahimova told Turan.  

She noted that Gasymov's case has been separated from that of opposition politician and academic economist Gubad Ibadoglu.

‘Currently, a person named Anar Aliyev is under arrest in Fazil Gasymov's case. He provided testimony against Fazil Gasimov. The court will consider their case together,’ Rahimova noted.

According to her, Gasymov continues his hunger strike for the 35th day. At the same time, the day before he was isolated in a separate cell.

‘He is now kept in a separate cell under supervision. But this is not medical supervision. This is supervision related to his safety. (Earlier, Gasymov said that out of desperation he was ready to kill himself,’ the lawyer said.

On 19 July, his mother and brother met with Gasimov in Baku pre-trial detention centre-1.
They asked him to stop his hunger strike. ‘But Fazil is not pleading. He again said he is not guilty and will either be acquitted or die in the pre-trial detention center from hunger,’ the detainee's brother Nazim Gasymov told Turan.

According to him, during his hunger strike, Gasymov lost 20kg in weight and now weighs 52kg.
Weakened, he can hardly stand on his feet, and he spoke in a quiet, broken voice,’ Gasymov's brother Nazim told Turan.

Penitentiary Service could not be reached for comment.

*Fazil Gasymov was detained in Turkey on 7 August 2023 and brought to Azerbaijan and charged under Article 204.3.1 (making, acquiring or selling counterfeit money as part of an organised group) of the Criminal Code.

The investigation claims that he was the one who passed the counterfeit money to opposition politician Gubad Ibadoglu, who was later arrested.

Recently, Gasymov stated in his address to the Prosecutor General, the Ombudsman, local and international public that he provided this testimony under torture. He retracted this testimony, stating that he did not pass fake money to Ibadoglu, never had discussions with him on FETO (the movement of preacher Fethullah Gulen, recognised as a terrorist organisation in Turkey).

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