Activist Mansur Valishov Launches Hunger Strike After Prison Disappearance

Mansur Valishov

There is a lot of trouble for activists in Azerbaijan. Mansur Valishov’s case just got worse. He was found guilty of drug charges in 2023. He and his family say these charges are not true. Now Valishov has started a hunger strike. This is because he was moved to a prison and nobody has heard from him.

His wife, Aytac Valishova was the first to raise the alarm. She talked to Toplum TV about how desperate her husband’s situation is. Valishov was supposed to be moved from the Umbakı Penitentiary Complex to a prison in Lankaran on April 25. Nobody has heard from him since then. Before he was moved, Valishov told his family that if they didn't hear from him by Monday, he would stop eating. He says this is because of ill-treatment and false charges.

This is very hard on his family. Valishova says she only gets to see her husband every six months. When she does, it's in a closed room. Their young child can't even talk to his father. The move to Lankaran makes it even harder for the family to visit. Valishova thinks this is done on purpose to keep them apart.

The family has asked the Ministry of Justice, the Penitentiary Service, and the Ombudsman's office for help. They just get told that Valishov is "safe". Valishov says he will only stop his hunger strike if he can meet with Mirsaleh Seyidov, the head of the Penitentiary Service. He wants to talk about his prison conditions and his six-year sentence.

Valishov's situation is not unique. He was arrested in March 2023 when there was a lot of tension between Azerbaijan and Iran. Many religious activists were arrested on drug charges. According to the Union for the Freedom of Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan, Valishov is one of 192 activists who are considered political prisoners. There are 340 people in total who are being held for their beliefs or political activities. As the days go by without news from the Lankaran prison, the silence around Valishov's cell is getting heavier.