Reacting to the Baku Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the nine-year prison sentence against Azerbaijani opposition figure Tofig Yagublu, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:
“It is abundantly clear that Tofig Yagublu’s imprisonment is a political decision. This was not justice – it was another sham court hearing and part of the systematic repression of dissent in Azerbaijan. His ongoing detention is based on fabricated charges, as with many other jailed government critics.”
Background
Tofig Yagublu, a veteran opposition politician and member of the Musavat Party and National Council of Democratic Forces, was convicted in March on charges of “fraud” and “forgery,” which he has rejected as politically motivated. He went on a hunger strike from 1 April which he ended after 40 days. Amnesty International has demanded that the authorities transfer him to an independent, specialized hospital, to ensure that he receives the healthcare he requires.
For further information about his case, see here.