Rights defenders and Samir Ashurov's wife treat his case as political persecution

The case of Samir Ashurov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has to do with his civil position, his wife believes. His case is in many ways similar to the persecution of other critics of the authorities, human rights defenders have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 19, Ashurov was detained in Baku and suspected of attacking a man with a knife. Samir himself calls the case falsified and reported about beatings by law enforcers. He went on a hunger strike in protest.

Samir Ashurov was among the 38 Azerbaijani citizens who were returned from Germany on March 29 as part of the readmission of persons living in Germany without permits.

Nurana, Samir's wife, has added that her husband suffers from diabetes, and the hunger strike "would harm his health and could even be fatal."

Tezekhan Miralamli, an activist of the NGO "Defence Line", asserts that Ashurov's arrest was expected. "Earlier, four activists deported from Germany were arrested; and there was no serious international reaction to this ... Back in Azerbaijan, Samir was twice imprisoned, and then continued criticizing the country's authorities from Germany," Mr Miralamli has explained.

Azerbaijan has already arrested activists and journalists on cases with victims, in particular, Tofig Yagublu, Seimur Khazi, and the journalist, Ganimat Zakhid.

Bashir Suleimanly, the head of the Civil Rights Institute, believes that the case with the victim (the man allegedly stabbed by Samir Ashurov) was opened for greater credibility. He has recalled that a certain Sevgilada Gulieva was used as alleged victim in the case against the oppositional journalist, Ganimat Zakhid.