22 October 2007, 10:54
Azerbaijani penitentiary service fails to confirm the journalist's hunger strike
"We don't possess any information of this sort, and the journalist did not apply to the administration of the corrective establishment on his starting a hunger strike," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed at Colony No. 14, where the journalist is serving his term.
We remind you that on October 20 journalist-satirist Mirza Sakit (Zakhidov) announced a termless hunger strike in protest against his returning for further custody to Colony No. 14. His wife Rena Zakhidova has informed about it.
The motive of the hunger strike was the return of the satirist back to the Colony from the prison clinic where he was taking his treatment. According to Ms Zakhidova, her husband demands to transfer him to another colony, since No. 14 is located 70 km off Baku, and it is difficult for Zakhidov's family members to reach there.
Besides, the custody conditions in the Colony leave much to be desired. In particular, it is very damp in the premises, and the journalist suffers from leg pains. According to the wife, his heart pains did not cease in spite of the treatment.
We remind you that on September 20 Mr Zakhidov held a hunger strike with a demand of non-return to Colony No. 14. After a respective oral promise that his demand would be fulfilled, he stopped his hunger strike on September 24. Earlier, the journalist had held a hunger strike from July 8 to July 15 in Colony No. 14 with a demand to provide him with conditions for treatment.
Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent
