Arrested ‘Abzas Media’ journalists on violations of female prisoners' rights

Arrested journalists of 'Abzas Media' do not stop their investigations even in prison. They have already publicised the facts of physical pressures on prisoners in Baku SIZO-1. This time they drew attention to the harsh conditions of detention of prisoners, failure to provide them with food, clothes, bedding and hygiene products, which they are entitled to at the expense of the state.

Thus, the editor-in-chief of 'Abzas Media' Sevinj Vagifgyzy and her colleagues Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasymova sent a letter to the public, which is published on the website of this publication.

https://abzas.info/az/2024/11/geyim-mlf-dsmal-gigiyenb0aabe85-d/?fbclid=IwY2xjawG2TKtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbDk1XbDmakCtd1WrRFXVfJJllPTPVrdc1Ywe_x6N4sBL8-iDz8bd0FqFQ_aem_CvvCtwalb9YBAf3Q2eT7TQ

‘When the warden opens the cell door and brings in a new prisoner, the female detainees start fussing around her. One gives her toilet soap, another gives her a towel. Another shares a spare sheet. Someone else asks if the new prisoner has a change of clothes. If it turns out that there are no clothes, the cellmates provide her with clothes,’ the message says.

According to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan n number 22 of 18 February 2023 ‘On nutritional and material standards of detained or arrested persons’, the needs of prisoners should be provided by the state.

There are 170 women detained in Baku pre-trial detention centre-1. They are accommodated in 27 cells on the 2nd floor of the 2nd building. In fact, there are 30 cells on this floor. One of them has been illegally turned into a punishment cell, another one is not used, and another cell is used by the warders as a kitchen.

Three cells remain unused, while in the women's section of the pre-trial detention centre there are not enough beds.

Because of the lack of beds, 25 women sleep on the floor or two people sleep on one bed.

Sometimes women are injured due to such overcrowding. Recently, one of the two sleeping women fell from the second tier of the bunk and dislocated her arms.

In addition to a separate bunk, prisoners are entitled to blankets (summer and winter), a mattress (cotton), a pillow, 2 pillowcases, 2 towels.

However, women are given only 1 thin blanket.  The mattresses are not made of cotton, but of poor quality wool. They are of such poor quality that because of the pungent odour some people refuse such a mattress.

According to Annex No. 4 of the above-mentioned decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, the detainees' diet should include: fish, meat, vegetable oil, vegetables, flour, bay leaf, tomato paste.  However, they have none of these things.  Because of the poor quality of the ‘balanda’ given to prisoners, it is taken by prisoners only in 8 out of 27 cells.

The prisoners are not given the clothes they are supposed to wear. Annex N5 of the Cabinet of Ministers' resolution says that if a prisoner has no acceptable clothing, he is entitled to: warm and thin headscarves, a warm jacket, 2 skirts, 2 coats, 2 dresses, 2 undershirts, 3 pantaloons, 3 brassieres, 4 pantyhose, 6 pairs of socks, 12 hygiene bags (for 1 month), 2 pairs of shoes in season, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of gloves.

‘What we have seen during a year of stay here is when the wardens ask prisoners to give clothes to a new prisoner, because in pre-trial detention centres they do not give clothes,’ the journalists write.

The same decree of the Cabinet of Ministers specifies the norms for issuing hygiene supplies. Thus, during the month the prisoner is entitled to: household soap of 250 gr., toilet soap - 100 gr. washing powder - 150 gr., razor blades - 3 pieces, toilet paper - 1 piece, toothpaste - 1 piece (for 2 months), toothbrush (1 for 3 months).

‘According to our observations during the year, only twice in each cell 1-2 prisoners were given toothpaste, washing powder, laundry soap, toilet soap.  Blades, toilet paper were not given to anyone at all,’ the journalists wrote.

The journalists' appeal also states that Baku pre-trial detention centre-1 signed a contract with Abşeron Tekstil LLC on 10 August 2024 to purchase goods worth 49,383 manat (about $30,000).

With this contract, the pre-trial detention centre was to be provided with 1,000 pieces each of cotton mattresses, cotton blankets, pillows, pillowcases, sheets and towels by December.

‘Why are all these things not given to the arrested women? From conversations with SIZO staff, it appears that there is nothing in the warehouses. It is not clear whether the Penitentiary Service does not send these goods and products to the pre-trial detention centre, or whether the sent items ‘disappear’ in the pre-trial detention centre itself,’ reads the conclusion of the appeal of the arrested journalists.