Faig Amirov�s Health Worsened Sharply

Baku / 06/18/17 / Turan: The health of the financial director of the Azadlig newspaper and the assistant to the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Faig Amirov has sharply worsened in the Kurdakhany detention center. As his wife Lala Amirli told Turan, Amirov suffering from peptic ulcer vomits every time after meals. The disease of the gallbladder has also worsened.
Treatment is not efficient in the conditions of the detention center. Amirov needs strict diet and hot liquid dishes. However, there is no possibility to provide it on a daily basis in the detention center.

The defense repeatedly petitioned the investigative body and the court to transfer the accused under house arrest for health reasons. However, all the applications were rejected.

Amirov was detained on August 20, 2016 and charged under articles: 168.1 (encroachment on the rights of citizens under the pretext of performing religious rites) and 283.2.2 of the Criminal Code (inciting inter-religious and inter-ethnic hostility in the media). On April 17, 2017, new charges were brought against him: under articles 213.1 (tax evasion) and 308 (abuse of official authority). However, as a result of the preliminary investigation, articles 168.1 and 308 were dropped. Currently, the case is under consideration by the court

Amirov has been recognized as a political prisoner by human rights activists. The international organization for the protection of journalists Reporters Without Borders condemned Amirov's arrest and called for removing the "ridiculous accusations" from him. -06D--