Jailed Azerbaijani Opposition Activist Swallows Metal Cross in Protest Against Prison Abuse

Elnur Hasanov, an imprisoned activist from the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), told a court on September 3 that he has been subjected to systemic abuse and torture at Penal Facility No. 6, prompting him to swallow a cross-shaped piece of metal in protest.

Hasanov raised the allegations during a hearing at the Baku Court of Appeal, where judges were reviewing his petition for early release.

According to Hasanov, the abuse began following his transfer from a closed-type prison to Penal Facility No. 6 on July 30. He stated that facility staff subjected him to continuous mistreatment, leading him to self-harm in an attempt to stop the violence. He subsequently staged a hunger strike, which he said severely deteriorated his health.

During the hearing, the activist testified that on September 2, he swallowed a cross-shaped piece of metal to protest his ongoing treatment inside the facility.

The Baku Court of Appeal rejected Hasanov’s petition for early conditional release, leaving the lower court’s decision intact.

Hasanov was arrested on November 28, 2023, on drug-related charges and was sentenced to three years in prison by the Baku Serious Crimes Court on August 2, 2024. He denies all charges, maintaining that his arrest and conviction are politically motivated.

Azerbaijan’s Penitentiary Service has not yet commented on Hasanov’s allegations of torture and ill-treatment.