Gulmira Aslanova, the wife of journalist Polad Aslanov, held another protest in front of the General Prosecutor’s Office on January 17.
She demanded a meeting with Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev.
Aslanova told journalists that her husband had been illegally imprisoned for 2.5 years and she demanded to stop his criminal prosecution.
At that, the police officers of the Rapid Response Regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not allow her to pass into the building of the General Prosecutor’s Office. She was offered to go to the reception room; however, Aslanova refused. In the end, Aslanova was taken to the 9th police station of Sabail district.
Before the action Aslanova told Turan that her husband called her today as saying that he continued the hunger strike started on January 6.
According to her, Polad had tests taken and an electrocardiogram done on Saturday. He has profound shortness of breath and is very weak.
Meanwhile, the human rights organization “Defense Line” issued a statement expressing concern about the condition of Polad Aslanov.
After the representatives of the Ombudsman visited him, the conditions of his detention have improved; yet, he does not receive full medical care.
Given his chronic health problems, which worsened during the hunger strike, “Defense Line” urged the leadership of the Ministry of Justice to intervene and eliminate the threat to his life. Also, the organization called for the release of Polad Aslanov who was recognized as a political prisoner.
* xeberman.com editor Polad Aslanov was sentenced Nov. 16, 2019, to 16 years of imprisonment on charges of treason in favor of Iran. Reporters Without Borders and other human rights groups have called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Polad Aslanov. Since January 6, he has been on hunger strike to demand a review of his case and expedite consideration of his appeal in the Supreme Court. On the 9th day of the hunger strike it became known that the Supreme Court scheduled the consideration of Polad Aslanov’s appeal for February 3.