Ikram Rahimov Continues His Hunger Strike

Baku / 08.13.19 / Turan: Ikram Rahimov, editor of the website Realliq.info, continues a hunger strike in a pre-trial detention center, which he announced on August 7 in protest against the consideration of his appeal without a second judicial investigation. This was reported by Rahimov"s relatives. According to the same source, after the hunger strike was announced, Rahimov was placed in a punishment cell.

It was not possible to receive comments from the Prison Service.

Rahimov was detained on October 26, 2018, charged with extortion by threats and arrested. Before his arrest, Rahimov said he was being persecuted because of criticism of the assistant to the President, Ali Hasanov. In court, he repeated this.

On June 12, the court sentenced him to 5.5 years in prison. On August 7, a preliminary hearing was held in the Baku Court of Appeal on the Rahimov case. The defense requested a re-trial and new interrogations of witnesses and victims due to falsification of their testimony in the trial court. The lawyer also asked to appoint a re-examination of the audio recording of Rahimov's telephone conversations for the same reason. However, the applications were not granted and the next meeting was scheduled for 21 August. Rahimov protested in the courtroom, saying he would go on a hunger strike. -21D--