Arrested journalist has sewn up his mouth in Azerbaijan

Faramaz Allakhverdiev, correspondent of the "Nota Bene" newspaper, who is serving his punishment in Colony No. 14 of Azerbaijan, has announced a hunger strike and sewn up his mouth. This is the way of his protest against arrest.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it at the editorial board of the newspaper, where they added that Allakhverdiev insists on his meeting with the employees of the Israeli Embassy: he wants to give up Azerbaijani citizenship and apply for the Israeli one.

The administration of the Colony has confirmed the fact of hunger strike.

We remind you that this January Mr Allakhverdiev was convicted to 2.5 years of imprisonment under Articles 147 (slander) and 148 (abuse of one's honour and dignity). The suit was lodged by Ramil Usubov, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Nazim Ibragimov, Minister for Work with Diaspora. The pretext of the suit was the article published by Allakhverdiev in the "Nota Bene" newspaper, in which Mr Usubov and Mr Ibragimov were accused of organizing publications in the press aiming to compromise Ramiz Mekhtiev, head of the President's administration.