21:04, 9 July 2007

Azerbaijan: the arrested satirist starts a hunger strike

Last Sunday, on July 8, satirical poet Mirza Sakit who had been sentenced in Azerbaijan, began his hunger strike action in colony No. 14 in protest against violation of his rights. His relatives have informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the motives for the protest are bad custody conditions and refusal of the colony's administration to provide medical treatment to the satirist.

We remind you that Sakit Zakhidov was arrested on June 23, 2006, on accusations of storage and use of drugs.

In his turn, Aflatun Amashov, Chairman of the Board of Press, doubts that journalists Einullah Fatullaev and Mirza Sakit will be pardoned.

In the opinion of political scientist Arif Yunus, the authorities are deliberately provoking attacks on the press aiming to distract attention from the defeatist peace. He thinks these attacks will persist till 2008.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent