Zamin Salayev fell into coma, hospitalised, but keeps hunger strike

Baku/15.05.23/Turan: Chairman of the Salyan regional branch of the Party of People's Front of Azerbaijan (PPFA) Zamin Salayev has been transferred from the Penitentiary Service detention facility to the Ministry of Justice's medical facility after falling into coma.

He has been hungry for 98 days and his condition has improved since his hospitalization.This was reported by his wife Saida Salayeva, after a telephone conversation with her husband.

"His voice is weak, his blood pressure is 60/40, he has severe kidney pain and constant dizziness," she said.

He is under a doctor's care and is being given drips. Despite his wife's requests, Zamin Salayev will continue his hunger strike.

On 11 May in the Garadagh district court of Baku, chaired by judge Rufan Mursalov, the trial in the criminal case of Zamin Salayev started.

Zamin Salayev was detained on 7 February, and the next day the Garadagh ddistrict ccourt arrested him. A criminal case was initiated against him under Article 221.3 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism - the use of force against a victim using weapons or objects used as weapons). If the charge is proven, Salayev faces up to five years of imprisonment.

Salayev considers his arrest as an order and has been on hunger strike for 986 days to protest the court ruling.

The US Embassy in Baku has called on the authorities to release Salayev and other political prisoners.

"The United States calls on Azerbaijani authorities to release all individuals unjustly or arbitrarily imprisoned for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms," an Embassy official said last week.-03-