Blogger, recognized prisoner of conscience, released from prison in Azerbaijan

Mehman Huseynov, 26, is a video blogger who actively criticized the Azerbaijani authorities in his videos.

In March 2017, he was sentenced to two years on charges of libel against a police officer when he complained of torture at the police station. International organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner.

At the end of December 2018, with just a few months before the end of his term, Mehman was accused of assaulting a prison ward. Had he been convicted of the accusation, he would have faced an additional seven years in prison. In protest, he went on a hunger strike, joined by many other political prisoners and opposition activists. The case received widespread publicity and served as a pretext for an opposition rally.

The new case against Huseynov was later dismissed after he wrote a letter to President Ilham Aliyev.