Activists of youth movements in Azerbaijan continue their hunger strike for the 7-th day in a row. The strikers are demanding the restoration of education rights of two students who were expelled from their universities for their political views. Though the health state of the strikers gets deteriorated there is still no official reaction from the side of officials to the action. The strikers intend to continue the protest action until the restoration of their rights. (03-JAN-2006)

On December 28 2005 the members of youth movements started the hunger strike which continues up to now (3 January 2006). The hunger strikers demand restoration of rights of students sent down from universities for political motives. Three people started the strike – Namig Feiziyev, member of Yeni Fikir organization expelled from Pedagogical University on 26 December 2005; Turan Aliyev, expelled from Baku State University on 25 November and Emin Huseynov, coordinator of Magam civil movement, who joined the strike for youth solidarity. Since the 1-st of January one more activist of Yeni Fikir organization – Elnur Mamedov joined the strikers.

Health state of strikers gets worse
The health condition of the strikers gets deteriorated every day. They regularly pass medical examination and the doctors are concerned with their heath state. The major problem is connected with blood pressure and they are made the injections to stabilize it. Headaches and heartaches are getting frequent as well and now they cannot actually move. Today, i.e. on the seventh day of the strike, the health state of Turan Aliyev and Namig Feiziyev has particularly deteriorated, but they refused to be made injections of glucose. Emin Huseynov told to the coordinator of Human Rights House in Azerbaijan that “glucose is also nutrition and we want to stay courageously without any nutrition until the end of our struggle”.

Supporters face the pressure
Turan-AliyevThe expelled students confirmed that there were restrictions on attending the pro-opposition protest actions even though the rallies were often organized on weekends. On the contrary, the students were urged to attend the rallies in support of the government and the university administration took measures to register the attendance of students to make the further threats and pressure upon those, who had not attended.
According to the words of Turan Aliyev  (on the right), there are over 800 signatures collected among the students of the universities with the request to restore the strikers’ rights to education, but all the efforts are in vain.
Moreover, the coordinator of HRH was told that the students and the teachers which had raised their voices in support of these two students faced the pressure from the administration of the universities. Turan Aliyev told that he was suggested to make a speech of excuse on Leader TV and then his education rights would be restored. But Turan Aliyev refused and suggested in return that he is ready to participate in public debate on ANS TV channel with the people, who accuse him in political affiliation.

Visitors
The strikers are often visited by activists of youth and opposition movements and their peer students. Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova visited the strikers on December 31. She promised to take every effort to restore rights of the expelled students. She added that she could discuss this question with rectors only on January 5 as soon as the holidays are over. She urged members of the youth movements to suspend the strike to celebrate the New Year together with their close relatives. “I cannot guarantee that the issue will be fully resolved, but I will take every efforts,” concluded Suleymanova.
Isa Gambar, Musavat party´s leader, Ali Kerimli, Popular Front party´s leader, Ali Aliyev, National Independence party´s chairman, Sardar Jalaloglu, Democratic party´s first deputy chairman, Avaz Teymirkhan, Liberal Party first deputy also visited the strikers on December 31. They said that the strikers´ demands are just, but urged them to stop the strike, because the young people´s health condition causes anxiety. The strikers thanked Ombudsman and opposition parties´ leaders for care and attention and said that they are going to continue the strike, until their demands are satisfied.
The strikers told to the coordinator of Human Rights House in Azerbaijan that their struggle would continue until the victory – the restoration of their rights. They said that it is unfair decision, based on political motives and they must prove it to the world.

Reaction to the hunger strike
The strikers complained that there were no officials visiting them or making any reaction to their hunger strike, except the Ombudsman. Emin Huseynov noted that the information had been sent to the Council of Europe, OSCE, as well as to all the national TV channels. There were reportages on ANS TV, TRT, Azadliq radio and Voice of America. The public TV representatives came only on the fifth day with the argument that they would not be able to highlight the news until the 3-rd of January though there were news programs both on the 1-st and on the 2-nd of January.