Oppositionist Complains about Deterioration of His Health after Administrative Arrest

Baku / 27.08.18 / Turan: During the period of administrative arrest, the state of health of Zafar Ahmedli, an activist of the Popular Front Party (PFPA), who was released on August 26, sharply deteriorated.

According to him, the detention conditions in the Binagadi detention center are hard. "Only once a day, in the morning, we could have tea, and we had to drink not very clean water from the tap all day long.

There was no hot water at all, and we bathed cold. All this, of course, influenced the state of our health. Therefore, I want to undergo examination and be treated," Ahmedli told Turan.

For him, the reasons for the arrest are still unclear.

"Perhaps this was due to my activities to protect the rights of political prisoners and arrested religious activists. Another reason could be my activity on Facebook. But the arrest was formalized in such a way that I allegedly expressed myself loudly and did not obey the police. All this is absurd," Ahmedli said.

On July 27, the Khatai district court sentenced the PFPA activist Zafar Ahmadli to 30 days of administrative arrest. He was accused of violating the administrative order; he allegedly did not obey the demand of the police, who called him to order. The activist"s appeal was rejected.

The real reason for his arrest, according to human rights activists, was his critical statuses on Facebook and his civic activism.

Zafar Ahmedli is the father of Fuad Ahmadli, an imprisoned PFPA activist. The latter was detained on August 17, 2016 and charged under articles 302.1 (violation of the law on operative-search activity) and 308.1 (abuse of official authority). The Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced him to 4 years in prison. Fuad Ahmadli rejects the charges, stating that his arrest is politically motivated. -05B06-