Faina Kungurova, a 33-year-old political activist in Azerbaijan, member of Azerbaijan Democratic Party, died in prison of apparent starvation on 8 November after a month of stay in the prison. She was the first female political prisoner to die in Azerbaijan. Not refuting the official charges of drug possession and distribution, the human rights activists consider her arrest politically motivated. (05-DEC-07)
Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of materials from RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service
Azerbaijan’s Justice Ministry waited 10 days to comment on Kungurova’s death. Authorities have failed to release the results of an official autopsy to either family or outside investigators, raising questions about how an otherwise healthy young woman died so quickly with seemingly no effective intervention from prison staff. Typically, it can take up to several months for a person to die as a result of a hunger strike.
Family reaction
Kungurova’s sister, Zeynab Vekilova, said family members had brought food supplies to the Shuvalan detention center, but could not be sure that Kungurova had eaten any of it. Vekilova was allowed to see her sister’s body, and said it was clear she had suffered. “She was a healthy woman, and yet she died within a month,” Vekilova said. “Could she have died of natural causes? I don’t know. Her face had a tortured, painful expression on it.”
Human Rights defender’s opinion 
According to Leyla Yunus (right), the director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, Kungurova’s death is likely to draw more attention to prison conditions for political detainees. She says that regardless of whether Kungurova died as a result of abuse or neglect, prison authorities and the Justice Ministry must be held accountable. “All of us understand that Kungurova was hurt in prison,” Yunus said. “For me, as a human rights defender, it’s not interesting how they hurt her. Did they beat her? Did they torture her, as is usual in Azerbaijani prisons? Or did they just shut their eyes when she was in a depression and wasn’t eating anything?”
Human Rights Watch
Jane Buchanan, a researcher on the South Caucasus with Human Rights Watch, called for a full investigation to determine if and to what degree prison authorities are responsible for the death of Kungurova, who leaves behind a teenage daughter. “Human Rights Watch remains very concerned about the situation in Azerbaijan…with respect to the media, and civil society, and freedom of expression,” Buchanan said. “And this most recent case of this death in custody of a female activist should be thoroughly investigated by the authorities. The cause of the death should be determined, and any responsibility that the authorities may have for
her death should be investigated, and anyone found responsible should be held accountable.”
Historical background
Kungurova was arrested in 2002 on hooliganism charges supporters say were tied to her political activities. Her case gained Western attention when prison officials forced her to serve her term in all-male prison. After being placed on a Council of Europe list of political prisoners, Kungurova was finally released in May 2004.
