AZERBAIJAN INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001859

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
CONTINUE HUNGER STRIKE


Classified By: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION JOAN POLASCHIK PER 1.4(B,
D)


1. (SBU) Approximately 100-150 former students of the closed
Azerbaijan Independent University (AIU) remain on hunger
strike in protest of the slow trial proceedings to determine
their academic fate. AIU was closed by the Ministry of
Education (MOE),along with 17 other private academic
institutions on May 5, on the grounds that these institutions
had not met state accreditation standards. While third and
fourth year students were transferred to other institutions,
the admission of the 1,700 first and second year students was
essentially revoked. Nearly 150 of these students filed a
lawsuit against the MOE seeking reinstitution of admission,
in order to be allowed to transfer to other institutions to
complete their studies. This is the second major hunger
strike related to AIU's closure.


2. (C) Poloff visited the hunger strikers, who have staged
their protest at opposition Musavat Party headquarters, on
December 22. (NOTE: Musavat Party Chair Isa Gambar explained
that the party has nothing to do with the strike, but that
Musavat had been the only party to offer its premises to the
students after they had sent a request to many other
organizations.) At the time of the visit, around 35 to 40
students were present at the site of the protest. One student
explained that between 100 and 150 students were
participating in the hunger strike on a rotating basis. He
said that 25 students have been hospitalized at some point
during the month-long strike, but had each resumed the
hunger-strike after being treated. According to the group,
these students plan to continue the protest until a verdict
in the ongoing trial is reached.


3. (C) According to December 19 press reports, four of the
hunger-strikers had sewn their mouths shut to demonstrate
their commitment to the protest. Gambar told Poloff that the
Musavat Party leadership had asked those students to leave,
insisting that none of them seriously risk their lives. In
addition, Musavat requires the female hunger strikers to
return home each night, because, as Gambar explained,
Musavat's public image would be damaged if there was a
perception that boys and girls were spending the night
together at the party's headquarters. He said that party
members were ensuring the students had enough water, although
most water was being purchased with the students' own
resources. Gambar also said that doctors who were Musavat
members were regularly checking on the participants.


4. (C) Over 100 students attended the third session of the
trial on December 21, during which several students testified
that an MOE official had visited AIU prior to the
university's closure, and had told students "not to worry"
about the accreditation issue. One of the hunger-striking
students told Poloff that the judge is intentionally dragging
his feet on issuing a verdict, ostensibly because he is
waiting on instructions from the MOE. The next session is
scheduled for December 28; we will continue to monitor the
situation and report on developments.
HYLAND