Prisoners at Azerbaijani Gobustan Prison Intend to Cease Hunger Strike

Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend K.Zarbaliyeva / The Chief of the Gobustan Prison of Azerbaijan, Alizade Huseynov, said that 12 inmates stated that they ceased the hunger strike.

According to him, the remaining inmates will also cease the action today. Huseynov said that no pressure has been made on the inmates to cease the protest action. It takes place through their own wishes. According to him, there are no problems with the health of the inmates.

The relatives of inmates at Gobustan Prison, whose death sentence was replaced by life imprisonment, met with the delegation of AGO Group on 5 July. During the meeting, they presented the appeals of the prisoners to meet with the European experts. However, it became clear today that the meeting will not take place.

Relatives of the prisoners stated that the action began by more than 50 prisoners whose death sentences have been commuted to life-imprisonment. They said that the hunger strike began on 18 June.

The Penal Service of the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry reported that 38 prisoners began a hunger strike on 20 June. The defendants wish that the life-term imprisonment be changed to 15 years imprisonment after the annulment of the death penalty in Azerbaijan.

The European Court on human right's regulation has stated that the change of life-term imprisonment corresponds with the European Convention. Life-term imprisonment is lighter than death penalty and cannot be considered as a grave crime.

A group on prisoners held a similar hunger strike from 16 to 20 April, 2007.