2019 Azerbaijan: Rashad Ramazanov
Writer and blogger Rashad Ramazanov ended his hunger strike. His family, who visited him in prison in Baku on 24 January 2019, said he remains in poor health. He is still protesting against his continuous detention on politically-motivated grounds. Rashad Ramazanov was arrested almost six years ago and sentenced to nine years in prison on fabricated charges of illegal possession and sale of drugs. PEN is deeply concerned for his health and continues to call for his immediate and unconditional release.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Mr. Ilham Aliyev
Your Excellency,
Norwegian PEN has been informed that writer and blogger Rashad Ramazanov has been on hunger strike and still is in poor health. We have followed his case for several years, and want to express our serious concern for his well-being.
Rashad Ramazanov is one of several Azerbaijani prisoners, activists and opposition figures who went on hunger strike in solidarity with jailed anti-corruption blogger Mehman Huseynov, against whom the Azerbaijani authorities brought new spurious charges in December 2018, just weeks before his scheduled release. Rashad Ramazanov has also been held in prison on politically motivated grounds. He was arrested almost six years ago and sentenced to nine years in prison on fabricated charges of drug possession and drug sale.
To keep people in detention on politically motivated charges is against the Azerbaijani authorities’ obligations under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Azerbaijani authorities’ attempts to bring new charges against unjustly imprisoned critics in order to detain them longer is a violation of the right to freedom of expression. We call on you to unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained.
Norwegian PEN stand together with PEN International in the call for Rashad Ramazanovs immediate and unconditional release. Pending his release, he should be provided with adequate medical care.
Oslo, 25th of January, 2019
Yours sincerely,
Ms Brit Bildøen
Chair of Writers in Prison Committee
Norwegian PEN
COPY: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
