Azerbaijani government reportedly falsified activist’s medical record

The government allegedly falsified the medical results of economist and political activist Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, who is currently detained in a prison in Azerbaijan. Earlier this summer Ibadoghlu’s son, Ibad Bayramov, reportedly received a communiqué from an American cardiologist warning him about his father's poor health conditions. “The cardiologist has recommended that my father has an aortic root aneurysm and must go under surgery as soon as possible” told Ibad Bayramov to the non-profit media Index on Censorship. 

Moreover, according to what was reported by Dr. Ibadoghlu's son to the media, the Azerbaijani government falsified the activist's medical records. Gubad Ibadoghlu's case is one of countless occurrences of arbitrary detention in the country. The academic was arrested last summer under the charges of “producing, acquiring or selling counterfeit money” and is now serving the sentence under house arrest.

The activist is facing up to a 17-year sentence, according to NGO Human Rights Watch. 

Prior to his arrest, Dr. Ibadoghlu was working on anti-corruption and budget transparency on behalf of the non-governmental organization Economic Research Center - closed by the Azerbaijani government in 2024. Since the economist and political activist’s arbitrary arrest, various NGOs and similar organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have been campaigning for their immediate release.

Sources: https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2024/07/fears-mount-over-health-of-azerbaijani-political-prisoner/ 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/23/azerbaijan-free-academic-facing-bogus-charges