70 Bailovskaya prison inmates continue hunger strike

The number of prisoners taking part in the hunger strike at the Bailovskaya prison has risen to 70. A further 7 activists of the Musavat party and Azerbaijan Popular Front, not in prison, are also taking part.

The committee for the protection of the arrestees' rights of arrestees appealed to the hunger strikers to break off their action, as the health of many of them has seriously declined. The leader of the committee, Vagif Gadjibeyli (brother of the Musavat party deputy chair), informed the correspondent that the detainees had much ahead of them, they needed to concentrate on the upcoming cases and be ready to answer questions from the judges and lawyers. The lack of liquid and food will weaken them and they will not be able to defend themselves.

In his turn, the division head of the Main Department of Penalty Execution of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Justice, Niyazi Mamedov, told journalists the hunger strikers were under doctors' control. The Ministry of Justice reserves to itself the right to take "adequate measures" provided for by the law, depending on the duration of the hunger strike, the health of its participants, and the results of their action, i.e. forced feeding of hunger strikers is possible, Mr Mamedov added.

Editors note: See also the article "Political prisoners go on hunger strike in Bailovskaya prison".