Saleh Rustamov pressured in prison hospital

Baku/10.11.21/Turan: Former head of Gedabey region executive power Saleh Rustamov who went on hunger strike since November 6 is in a satisfactory state of health. His lawyer Bahruz Bayramov told the Turan agency.

On November 7, Rustamov was placed in the treatment facility of the penitentiary service. His lawyer visited him on November 8. "He was very lethargic," the lawyer said.

Rustamov began a hunger strike protesting against the fact that he had not been included on the amnesty list.

"Rustamov was a participant in the first Karabakh war. He was a member of the commission for prisoners of war and hostages, the chief of the Gedabey self-defense headquarters. He has a son in his care who is disabled of the first group," the lawyer said.

Rustamov intends to go on hunger strike until the end and will soon switch to a dry hunger strike, the lawyer said.

According to him, Rustamov may be released in two ways: either by pardon or by a decision of the Supreme Court Plenum.

In turn, Rustamov's relatives reported that he was imprisoned in a punishment cell. "The pressure began on him. He was told that if he did not stop the hunger strike voluntarily, they would do it forcibly. Rustamov responded that in this case he would commit suicide," said his family member.

On November 5, the Azerbaijani Parliament passed a decision on amnesty. It was announced that the amnesty would affect about 16,000 people, of whom just 3,000 would be released.

* PPFA supporter Saleh Rustamov was arrested in May 2018 and sentenced to 7 years 3 months of imprisonment on the so-called "illegal financing of the PPFA" case. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner. Subsequently, the Supreme Court reduced the sentence by 2 months.-06D-