Azerbaijani Journalist Polad Aslanov on Hunger Strike Amid Allegations of Discrimination in Prison

An Azerbaijani journalist named Polad Aslanov, who is currently imprisoned, has started a hunger strike to protest the conditions at Prison No. 15. The strike began on August 29, 2025, and was confirmed by his wife, Gülmirə Aslanova.

The immediate cause of the protest is that Aslanov was reportedly barred from using the medical unit's kitchen. For the past 10 months, he had been using the kitchen to heat his food due to unsanitary conditions in the main prison kitchen.

The Confrontation

Aslanov's access to the kitchen was revoked after he confronted two Ministry of Justice employees who were investigating a prisoner for reselling energy drinks. Aslanov reportedly demanded that the officials identify themselves and urged them to investigate larger systemic issues, including:

• The alleged practice of the prison's chief doctor selling beds in the medical unit to healthy prisoners for 200 manats, while sick prisoners were kept in poor conditions.

• The alleged sale of state-provided items like toothpaste, clothing, and shoes to prisoners, raising questions about where these supplies were going.

According to his wife, the officials left without providing an explanation, and the chief doctor subsequently informed Aslanov that he could no longer use the kitchen.

Ongoing Concerns and Background

This isn't the first time Aslanov's treatment has raised concerns. His wife has previously stated that the results of his medical exams were being intentionally delayed. For instance, he had an ultrasound on July 18, 2025, but the official results have not been provided. While a doctor verbally informed him of a liver problem, repeated requests for the formal report have been denied.

Polad Aslanov was arrested on June 12, 2019, and was sentenced to 16 years on treason charges. This was later reduced to 13 years. He has consistently denied the charges, asserting that his imprisonment is politically motivated and a result of his critical journalistic work.

As of now, the prison and other government bodies have not commented on these allegations. While officials state that prisoners are treated lawfully and no one is imprisoned for their professional or political activities, local human rights groups claim there are more than 370 political prisoners in Azerbaijani jails.