Polad Aslanov, a journalist from Azerbaijan who was sentenced to 13 years, has gone on hunger strike again. He demanded the release of himself and other political prisoners on the eve of the international climate conference in Baku.

“There should be no political prisoners in a country where such a major event is being held. The government cares about the climate, nature, environment, water, and at the same time cannot violate human rights,” the journalist’s wife said.

Polad Aslanov had previously complained of inhumane treatment. He was kept hungry for several hours, was not allowed to contact a lawyer, was threatened with pressure on his family, and was then forced to confess.

The founder and head of the xeberman.com website, Polad Aslanov, was arrested in June 2019 on charges of treason and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner. Later, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan reduced his prison term to 13 years.

Ahead of the climate conference in Baku, human rights organization Amnesty International has drawn attention to human rights violations in Azerbaijan and called on forum participants not to ignore this problem.

“Azerbaijan has a worrying human rights situation, with long-standing restrictions on the rights to freedom of speech, association and assembly. Peaceful protests are regularly subjected to violent suppression, and according to local NGOs, more than 300 people are currently in prison on politically motivated charges,” the report says.