Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 February / corr. Trend K. Zarbaliyeva/ The former minister of economic development of Azerbaijan has continued his hunger strike. Isakhan Ashurov, the lawyer of Farhad Aliyev, the former minister of economic development of Azerbaijan said to Trend on 4 February.
The former minister said in his statement made on 31 January and published in the press that he began the hunger strike from the night of 31 January and it will continue for 48 hours. He demanded full examination by his or any other doctor in the presence of his lawyers and to create conditions for his treatment. Otherwise he would continue his hunger-strike.
According to the lawyer, Aliyev did not meet him in the investigation isolation unit of the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan. The human rights activist said that he had received a letter from the former minister requesting for water to be brought to him. "I could tell from his handwriting that he had grown very weak. The fact that he has requested us to bring water for him proves that he has continued with his hunger strike," the lawyer said.
Ashurov said that Aliyev's health had deteriorated at between 5 or 6 am in the morning and the doctors were sent to his cell. Aliyev has been kept in the investigation isolation cell of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan (MDA) since his arrest.
Arif Babayev, the head of the Public Affairs Office of MDA said that the statements by the lawyer will be verified.
Aliyev, who is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, was arrested on October 2005 on charges of planning to hold a coup and was later accused of committing crimes related to the economy of the country.