Human rights advocates are asserting their lack of access to monitor penitentiary institutions in Azerbaijan as concerns arise over the deaths of six prisoners in Baku facilities during the first days of January.
The reported deaths include Elmar Musayev on January 3, Kamil Nazarli on January 6, Fikret Khabibov on January 7, Kerim Movsumov on January 8, Gudrat Abdullayev on January 12, and Gurban Radjabov on January 15. Local media attributes these deaths to illnesses but refrains from providing specific details, a situation exacerbated by the closed nature of Azerbaijani prisons, impeding transparency and monitoring efforts.
The Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice has chosen not to respond to inquiries from Meydan TV regarding the circumstances surrounding these deaths, further contributing to the lack of information.
Fikret Jafarli, Chairman of the Research Center against Torture, reports that his organization frequently receives information about violations within penitentiary institutions but faces challenges in conducting monitoring due to the severity and sensitivity of the reported situations. Requests for permission to meet with prisoners and monitor conditions have been consistently denied.
Rufat Safarov, Executive Director of the human rights organization Defense Line, acknowledges awareness of the deaths in January but expresses regret at the organization’s inability to contact the deceased prisoners’ relatives. He notes changes in the Penitentiary Service’s leadership since 2019, suggesting alterations in established mechanisms. Despite some positive changes under the new leadership, concerns persist regarding achieving punishment goals and the lack of specialized medical personnel and equipment.
Lawyer Zibeyda Sadygova criticizes the absence of proactive measures for disease detection in penitentiary institutions, emphasizing the need for regular medical examinations throughout imprisonment. She represents prisoners with serious health issues, questioning the lack of adequate examination and treatment for her clients.
Saadat Bananyarli, Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Justice, states that most of the listed prisoners died from cancer, with one reportedly detained recently in a state of extreme drug intoxication. The penitentiary service has not explained why a detainee in a state of “overdose” was placed in a penitentiary institution rather than a hospital.
