JAILED EX-MINISTER FARHAD ALIYEV REPORTEDLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000098

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KCOR AJ
SUBJECT: JAILED EX-MINISTER FARHAD ALIYEV REPORTEDLY
SUFFERS HEART ATTACK


Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF JOAN POLASCHIK PER 1.4(B,D).


1. (C) According to his lawyers, jailed former Minister of
Economic Development Farhad Aliyev suffered a myocardial
infarction at approximately 0500 on February 4 while in the
custody of the Ministry of National Security (MNS). Isakhan
Ashurov, one of Aliyev's attorneys, called Emboff at
approximately 2000 on February 4, requesting the Embassy's
assistance in seeking access to medical care for Aliyev.
According to Ashurov, Aliyev had not been well enough to meet
with his lawyers the morning of February 4. Aliyev was able
to meet with defense attorney Elton Guliyev the evening of
February 4, at which time Ashurov said Aliyev was pale and
appeared ill; according to the lawyer, Aliyev said he
believed he had suffered a heart attack, and described the
pain as "like nothing he had experienced before." Ashurov
said that the MNS refused to grant Aliyev access to medical
attention. At approximately 1620 on February 5, Ashurov
reported that Aliyev had been transferred to the Ministry of
Justice (MOJ) Boyuk Shore medical facility. (COMMENT: It is
unclear why Aliyev remains in MNS custody; detainees are
normally transferred from pre-trial detention to a permanent
prison facility quickly after conviction. Most observers
believe that conditions in MNS facilities are better than
ordinary MOJ penal colonies.)


2. (C) Head of the Azerbaijan Committee against Torture
Elchin Behbudov told Emboff that he last visited Aliyev in
detention at 1100 on February 2. According to Behbudov, at
that time, Aliyev had complained of acute pain and reported
that he had suffered a heart attack, but asked Behbudov not
to notify his family members. Behbudov said that the MNS
denied allegations that Aliyev had suffered a heart attack.
Per his arrangement with the GOAJ, Behbudov is allowed to
visit Aliyev on a monthly basis and cannot visit him again
until March.


3. (C) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
told Emboff that an ICRC delegation would visit Aliyev on
February 5. As of COB, we were unable to confirm that the
visit took place. ICRC has reported in the past that Aliyev
was receiving adequate medical care.


4. (C) COMMENT: Aliyev suffers from a pre-existing heart
condition and his family, lawyers, and several prominent
human rights activists have raised concerns regarding
Aliyev's health throughout his detention. While in
detention, Aliyev has staged several hunger strikes,
including one from February 2-4, which may have placed
additional stress on his heart. We continue to monitor the
situation and will report developments septel.
DERSE