Jailed Azerbaijani journalist on dry hunger strike over letter to EU chief

Yashar Aghazadeh

A jailed Azerbaijani journalist has been on a dry hunger strike for 18 days after being placed in a punishment cell for writing a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, his family says.

Yashar Aghazadeh, a former staff member at the Mukhalifat (Opposition) newspaper, was moved to solitary confinement at Penal Facility No. 6 on 2 July.

His wife, Aygun Ismayilli, said prison officials informed her that the punishment was triggered directly by his letter to Ms von der Leyen.

Ms Ismayilli said her husband's initial 10-day isolation sentence was extended by a further 10 days, and that authorities were now threatening to transfer him to a closed-regime facility.

"A lawyer visited him today and confirmed he is still continuing his hunger strike," Ms Ismayilli said.

She added that prison authorities had initially denied he was refusing food and water, assuring the family that his condition was stable.

"Later, another person from the facility informed us that Yashar was in a bad way and told us to come immediately," she said, noting that she was repeatedly turned away from the facility before a lawyer was finally granted access.

Ms Ismayilli said she had submitted formal appeals concerning her husband's health to Mirsaleh Seyidov, the head of the Penitentiary Service, Fariz Aliyev, the warden of Penal Facility No. 6, and the national Ombudsman, but had received no response.

Aghazadeh was sentenced to five years and one month in prison on 15 April 2024 following a conviction for repeat extortion. His sentence was subsequently extended by five months to five years and six months.