PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE TOFIG YAGUBLU ON A HUNGER STRIKE

Mister President,

I am writing to draw your attention to the arbitrary detention of opposition figure, Tofig Yagublu. On March 10, he was sentenced to nine years in prison on politically motivated charges, following proceedings that did not comply with fair trial standards. He has been on hunger strike since April 1, and his already weak health condition is significantly deteriorating.

Tofig Yagublu has been repeatedly arrested, imprisoned, and subjected to ill-treatment for his political activism and criticism of the government, for more than a decade. His most recent trial has been widely condemned for its lack of due process, with the prosecution relying solely on the testimony of a victim, disregarding all the arguments of the defense, including allegations of due process violations. Tofig Yagublu has stated that he started the hunger strike in protest to his imprisonment.

He is suffering from chronic asthma, which has been gradually worsening due to poor prison conditions and lack of adequate medical care. His lawyer, who visited him recently, described him as being very weak, pale, rapidly losing weight, exhibiting dizziness, and having difficulty walking.

I urge you to take all necessary steps to end the misuse of the criminal justice system in Azerbaijan to target criticism and dissent and to immediately and unconditionally release Tofig Yagublu. Pending his release, and given his health condition, I call on you to urgently ensure that Yagublu has access to all the healthcare services that he needs without any delay, which may require his transfer to an independent specialized institution or civil hospital.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]