The Court of Appeal refused to release an economist on hunger strike for 22 days in jail

On July 5, the Baku Court of Appeal dismissed the complaint of economist Fazil Gasimov, who has been on hunger strike in jail since June 14, for refusing to be transferred to house arrest, lawyer Rovshana Rahimova told Turan about this. According to her, F.Gasimov, despite his exhausted condition as a result of a long hunger strike, was still able to speak in the court of appeal. He spoke in detail about the lawlessness he encountered during the investigation. F.Gasimov, in particular, reported physical and psychological torture of him after his detention. Gasimov said that the accusations against him with counterfeit money are absurd.

He generally lived in Turkey, the last time he was in Azerbaijan  only in 2020 for a short period before being deported in 2023. The defense also considers Gasimov's detention unjustified.

"Fazil Gasimov, as he himself said in court, has been illegally detained for 11 months now, and no investigative actions have been carried out with him. Without any good reason, the period of investigation and arrest is being extended," Rahimova said. According to Rahimova, F.Gasimov is persistent in his intention to continue his hunger strike.

"His health is getting worse. Fazil Gasimov is losing weight very rapidly. His blood pressure has already dropped to 60/50. It gets dark in his eyes, and severe dizziness occurs periodically. We appealed to the leadership of the penitentiary service and the Ombudsman's office to transfer Fazil Gasimov to a medical institution. But so far there are no results," the lawyer said.

Rahimova noted that due to the refusal to change the measure of restraint, F.Gasimov's defense will appeal to the ECHR. "We will appeal to the European Court in connection with the violation of  the Article 5 (right to freedom and personal integrity) of the European Convention in relation to Fazil Gasimov," the lawyer said.

In turn, the F.Gasimov’s family  appealed to the media with a request to convey the economist's request to "world scientific activities, world leaders" to facilitate his release. “For 22 days now, I have been an illegally arrested UN GSP graduate in Azerbaijan

(Postgraduate education program at the UN Geneva Office), a doctoral student at Istanbul University, I am on a hunger strike. My strength is already running out, my blood pressure is dropping, it's getting dark in my eyes. I started having severe muscle pains all over my body. I ask you not to remain indifferent to the slow death of a 35-year-old man of science in  prison," the appeal says.

It was not possible to get comments from the penitentiary service, the office of the Ombudsman, and the Ministry of Justice.

A doctoral student at Istanbul University, economist Fazil Gasimov was detained in August last year in Türkiye and taken to Azerbaijan, where he was accused of making counterfeit money. Pro-government media reported at the time that his arrest was linked to the case of opposition politician Gubad Ibadoglu, who was charged with a similar charge.

Since June 14, Gasimov has been on a hunger strike to protest against unjustified criminal prosecution and torture during pre-trial detention.

A doctoral student at Istanbul University, economist-scientific Fazil Gasimov, was detained on August 7 last year in Türkiye and taken to Azerbaijan, where he was charged with Article 204.3.1 of the Criminal Code (Manufacturing or selling of counterfeit money or securities by organized group). In Fazil Gasimov's initial testimony to the investigation, it is alleged that he gave counterfeit money to the opposition politician Gubad Ibadoglu, who is currently under police control.

In his letters addressed to the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ombudsman, and the local and international community, Fazil Gasimov states that his testimony to the investigation under torture and the opinions in his statement belong to the investigator and lawyer. In his letters, he retracts his previous testimony that he did not give fake money to Gubad Ibadoglu and never discussed topics on FETO or religion with him.

Since June 14, Gasimov has been on hunger strike as a sign of protest against the groundless criminal prosecution and the torture he suffered during his arrest and pre-trial process.