Human rights defender Elchin Mamed’s mother asks President Aliev to pardon her son

Rakhilya Mamedova, a mother of convicted journalist and human rights defender Elchin Mamed, called on the President of Azerbaijan to pardon her son. The woman fears that a hunger strike in prison could result in her son’s death.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 8, 2021, a court in Baku refused Elchin Mamed, who, in connection with serving a third of his sentence, asked the court to replace the remaining term with a suspended sentence or transfer him to a penal colony-settlement. On May 3, Elchin Mamed went on a hunger strike demanding his release.

Activist's mother Rakhilya Mamedova has said that she has no contact with her son for the past three days. The woman has also added that her son suffers from severe chronic diseases.

Advocate Fariz Namazly believes there are still legal options for early release of Elchin Mamed. “It is expected that by May 28 – Independence Day – there will be a presidential decree on pardon,” Fariz Namazly said.

According to the advocate, the Elchin Mamed’s health state does not allow him to receive effective medical treatment in the penal colony. Fariz Namazly also believes that his client is being persecuted because of his human rights and journalistic activities.

Novella Djafaroglu, a member of the monitoring group of human rights organizations in Azerbaijan, reports that the monitoring group included Elchin Mamed in the list of 37 prisoners, for whose pardon the human rights defenders ask authorities of the Azerbaijan.