As of May 1, 2025, Azerbaijani opposition politician Tofiq Yagublu has been on a hunger strike for 31 days to protest his imprisonment. A prominent member of the Musavat Party and the National Council, Yagublu’s deteriorating health has sparked concern among his family, legal representatives, civil society, and international observers.
According to his daughter, Nigar Hezi, her father has lost 16 kg and is now experiencing hallucinations, loss of consciousness, and memory problems. His lawyer, Nazim Musayev, who visited him at the Ministry of Justice’s medical facility on May 1, reported that Yagublu is so weak he had to be supported by staff and was unable to remember medical details. The lawyer emphasized the situation is life-threatening and requires immediate intervention.
On April 28, physician Adil Qeybulla was initially granted permission to examine Yagublu, but this was later revoked, raising further alarm among his family and supporters. On April 30, lawyer Aqil Layij met with Yagublu, confirming his worsening state and brief responsiveness. He described the situation as critical, stating Yagublu was on the verge of death, and demanded urgent medical access.
Yagublu was arrested in December 2023 and sentenced on March 10, 2025, by the Baku Court for Grave Crimes to nine years in prison on charges of fraud and forgery. His appeal hearing is scheduled for May 6.
On April 30, 42 prominent Azerbaijani figures from the fields of literature, music, and cinema, including Ayaz Arabaçı, Murad Kohnegala, Karamet Boyukchol, Rasim Qaraca, and Asad Qaraqaplan, signed a joint statement in his defense. They emphasized Yagublu’s status as a Karabakh war veteran and urged unity in supporting his cause, calling on President Ilham Aliyev to consider his national service and ensure his immediate release.
Nigar Hezi has also issued strong statements, declaring that the Aliyev regime bears direct responsibility for her father’s life and imprisonment, which she describes as politically motivated. She repeated Yagublu’s own words:
“I know this hunger strike may end my life, but I choose to die for my freedom. I demand the freedom that is rightfully mine. Liberty or death!”
This is not Yagublu’s first hunger strike. In March 2020, he went without food for 17 days in protest of his arrest. Due to health complications, his prison sentence at that time was converted to a suspended sentence.
The case has drawn increasing international attention. U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton publicly urged President Aliyev to release Yagublu. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee also issued a statement demanding his release. Additionally, Frank Schwabe, a German member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, expressed concern, while the World Liberty Congress adopted a resolution condemning Yagublu’s imprisonment and calling for his immediate release.As of May 1, 2025, Azerbaijani opposition politician Tofiq Yagublu has been on a hunger strike for 31 days to protest his imprisonment. A prominent member of the Musavat Party and the National Council, Yagublu’s deteriorating health has sparked concern among his family, legal representatives, civil society, and international observers.
According to his daughter, Nigar Hezi, her father has lost 16 kg and is now experiencing hallucinations, loss of consciousness, and memory problems. His lawyer, Nazim Musayev, who visited him at the Ministry of Justice’s medical facility on May 1, reported that Yagublu is so weak he had to be supported by staff and was unable to remember medical details. The lawyer emphasized the situation is life-threatening and requires immediate intervention.
On April 28, physician Adil Qeybulla was initially granted permission to examine Yagublu, but this was later revoked, raising further alarm among his family and supporters. On April 30, lawyer Aqil Layij met with Yagublu, confirming his worsening state and brief responsiveness. He described the situation as critical, stating Yagublu was on the verge of death, and demanded urgent medical access.
Yagublu was arrested in December 2023 and sentenced on March 10, 2025, by the Baku Court for Grave Crimes to nine years in prison on charges of fraud and forgery. His appeal hearing is scheduled for May 6.
On April 30, 42 prominent Azerbaijani figures from the fields of literature, music, and cinema, including Ayaz Arabaçı, Murad Kohnegala, Karamet Boyukchol, Rasim Qaraca, and Asad Qaraqaplan, signed a joint statement in his defense. They emphasized Yagublu’s status as a Karabakh war veteran and urged unity in supporting his cause, calling on President Ilham Aliyev to consider his national service and ensure his immediate release.
Nigar Hezi has also issued strong statements, declaring that the Aliyev regime bears direct responsibility for her father’s life and imprisonment, which she describes as politically motivated. She repeated Yagublu’s own words:
“I know this hunger strike may end my life, but I choose to die for my freedom. I demand the freedom that is rightfully mine. Liberty or death!”
This is not Yagublu’s first hunger strike. In March 2020, he went without food for 17 days in protest of his arrest. Due to health complications, his prison sentence at that time was converted to a suspended sentence.
The case has drawn increasing international attention. U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton publicly urged President Aliyev to release Yagublu. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee also issued a statement demanding his release. Additionally, Frank Schwabe, a German member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, expressed concern, while the World Liberty Congress adopted a resolution condemning Yagublu’s imprisonment and calling for his immediate release.