The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, discussed today on the phone with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev, the case of Mehman Huseynov, an anti-corruption blogger and Chairman of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety who is currently on hunger strike to protest against new charges brought against him while serving a prison sentence in Baku since 2017.
“I told the Deputy Minister that the authorities should drop the charges initiated against Mr Huseynov on 26 December because they lack credibility. I also underscored that the authorities are under the obligation to provide the necessary medical care to Mr Huseynov whose conditions are extremely worrying. For this reason he should be transferred to a civil hospital where he can receive the necessary medical care.
I hope that the authorities of Azerbaijan will abide by their human rights obligations. I look forward to seeing progress in Mehman Huseynov’s case and to visiting Azerbaijan in the coming months in order to continue constructive dialogue with the authorities and civil society”