07 April 2008, 11:26
In Azerbaijan, hunger-striking political prisoners have health problems
Today is the 13th day of the hunger strike continued by a group of journalists and public figures of the country who demand release of convicted journalists and political prisoners. Yesterday, on April 6, Shakhvalad Chobanoglu, Rauf Arifoglu and Yalchin Abbasly had to stop their action because of sharp health aggravation.
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the office of the "Eni Musavat" newspaper, where the protest action takes place that the health condition of Famil Dzafarli had also aggravated, but he continued his hunger strike. At the same time, former political prisoner Djanmirza Mirzoev and journalists Neimat Guseinli and Salim Azizoglu joined the hunger strike.
As to those who hunger-strike in imprisonment, the health of Colonel Rasim Akperov has sharply worsened, and doctors had difficulties to bring him out of coma, there are health problems with Ruslan Bashirli and Mushfik Madatov. The hunger strike is continued also by the editors-in-chief - Einullah Fatullaev of the "Real Azerbaijan" and Ganimat Zakhidov of the "Azadlyg" newspapers.
Meanwhile, Ali Ahmedov, deputy chairman of the party in power "Eni Azerbaijan" has called the hunger-striking journalists to suspend their action. As he said, the protesters should think about their health.
We remind you that the action was started on March 26 in prison by Einullah Fatullaev, later his colleagues at large and a number of prisoners joined it. Recently, the action was supported by a number of Azerbaijani political emigrants in Sweden.
Author: Rafael Gasanov, CK correspondent