Imprisoned Azerbaijani politician Yagublu’s health deteriorates as hunger strike approaches 40th day

Tofig Yagublu, a member of the opposition Musavat Party, has been on a hunger strike in prison for 38 days. His daughter Nigar Hazi has spoken out on social media about his health condition, calling it critical. Yagublu’s doctor, Adil Geybulla, also wants to examine him, but the prison service has rejected his offer.

Geybulla stated on social media that Yagublu’s health condition is growing critical.

‘Tofig Yagublu's hunger strike does not correspond to any classification of hunger and should be considered a death hunger strike, [or] suicide’.

‘Currently, autophagy (the process of self-eating by the body) has begun to develop in his body’, Geybulla stated.

‘Given this, a single accidental infection with an acute respiratory infection (such as influenza) can aggravate its course and lead to death. Even if Yagublu were to stop his hunger strike today and begin treatment, I must regretfully note that the outcome of his physical and mental recovery remains a mystery’, stressed Geybulla.

Geybulla last checked in on Yagublu at the end of April, but has not met with him since.

Nigar Hazi, Yagublu’s daughter, told OC Media that in order for Geybulla to examine him, they need agreement from the penitentiary service, which has not granted its permission.

OC Media reached out to the penitentiary service, but has not received a response.

Hazi stated that her questions to the service were not answered properly, and said, ‘it is not clear why they did not let Geybulla examine my father, because no one has explained anything. Geybulla has only examined Yagublu three times’.

On Thursday, around 13 people, including Erkin Gadirli, a member of the parliament from the opposition Real Party, sent a letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, stating that Yagublu’s ‘starvation in prison has entered its final stages’.

‘Mr President! The state’s display of compassion and humanism towards its citizens is an expression of its power and greatness. We ask you, as a citizen of the country you lead, to show will and save the life of Tofig Yagublu’, the letter read.

Yagublu was detained in December 2023 and was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of fraud and forgery.

He previously served time in prison between 2013–2017 on charges of organising protests in Ismayilli. He was released in 2017 as part of an official pardon.

In March 2020, he was arrested again, this time on charges of hooliganism. According to the prosecution, Yagublu had been involved in a traffic accident, after which he insulted and caused bodily harm to the driver of the other car and his wife. In September 2020, the Nizami District Court sentenced him to four years and three months in prison.

Immediately after the verdict was announced, Yagublu stated that he had started a hunger strike in protest against the ruling. He continued the hunger strike for 17 days before being transferred to a clinic.

Later that month, he was released on house arrest by the Baku Court of Appeal.

Azerbaijani opposition politician Tofig Yagublu denied house arrest despite deteriorating health

Yagublu’s health has reportedly been sharply deteriorating after more than a month into his hunger strike.

OC MediaAytan Farhadova