Meydan TV has received information about the details of violence faced by its imprisoned journalists Aytaj Tapdig (Ahmadova), Aysel Umudova, and Khayala Aghayeva at the Baku Pretrial Detention Center on February 18.
“Around noon on February 18, about 10 employees of the detention center, led by deputy warden Javid Gulaliyev, entered our cell. When they came in, Aysel Umudova was in the restroom. Khayala Aghayeva and Aytaj Tapdig were in bed in their nightclothes, trying to understand what was happening. Javid Gulaliyev said the search would be conducted under camera surveillance, and he and the other men stayed inside together with female staff. However, male staff are not allowed to be present during searches in cells where women are detained.
Then Aytaj and Khayala were scanned with a device. When they began rummaging manually through their personal belongings, the journalists objected. In response, Javid Gulaliyev approached Aytaj and ordered that she and Khayala be forcibly removed from the cell. At that moment, Alibala, the head of the search and inspection department, started pulling on the restroom door. Although Aysel asked for one minute to come out, he broke the door and forced his way inside. Aysel was immediately ordered to come out, and she too was searched.
On Javid’s orders, detention staff insulted Aytaj and Khayala, twisting their arms and pressing their necks downward as they dragged them out of the cell. Accompanied by violence from more than 20 staff members, the journalists were held with their arms twisted behind their backs and their heads forced down.
All this happened in front of corridor surveillance cameras worn on staff uniforms and streamed live to the office of the prison director Elnur Ismailov. When the journalists told Javid Gulaliyev he should not use violence, he proudly raised his hand to his throat and said, “I’m covered in blood up to my throat, that’s how it should be.” We were subjected not only to Javid’s physical and psychological violence, but also to his verbal abuse. He looked us over from head to toe and said, “My seed is everywhere.”
Detention staff took Aytaj downstairs with her arms twisted behind her back and her mouth covered by their hands, and shoved her into the exercise yard. Khayala, meanwhile, was forced into the phone room opposite the cameras. She demanded that detention chief Elnur Ismayilov come and answer for what had happened. A guard named Jahan Ibrahimli held Khayala’s arms behind her while Javid Gulaliyev rushed at her and shouted, “Elnur isn’t here, I’m the boss here.” Another woman in civilian clothes who did not introduce herself also took part in the confrontation. During the scuffle, Khayala sustained marks of injury on her right hand and left wrist.
Javid Gulaliyev then went downstairs and stormed at Aytaj Tapdig, who had been locked in the yard. When Aytaj told him, “Javid, go away, let your superior come,” he clenched his teeth and raised his fist toward her face. “You must stay right here,” he said, ordering that the yard door be locked in her face. Aytaj was held there for about half an hour.
After Javid Gulaliyev and his group left, the cell doors were kept shut for several hours. They were reopened only after we continuously banged on them. On February 16, a report had been drawn up against us for protesting in court by banging on the glass cabin. We refused to give explanations and stated that if our right to defense is violated again in court, we will continue our protests. We believe it is no coincidence that we encountered this search, “prison search,” which we had not seen for 14 months, after the last court hearing. These pressures are connected to our court statements and protests. The authorities are threatening us through the detention center’s abusive staff. Moreover, we are told that such searches may be repeated weekly. This means we could face psychological and physical violence and harassment before every court hearing. Under these conditions, we do not feel safe and demand that the following measures be taken immediately:
- Javid Gulaliyev, who has gained notoriety in the detention center as a “king of torture,” must be held criminally liable for abuse of office and removed from his position.
- Footage from the surveillance cameras broadcasting live 24 hours a day in Warden Elnur Ismayilov’s office must be investigated.
- Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva must immediately come to the detention center, meet with journalists Aysel Umudova, Khayala Aghayeva, and Aytaj Tapdig, and investigate the facts of violence.”
