Conditions of detention of Islamic leader worsened

The leader of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Movsum Samedov September 18 was unexpectedly transferred to another prison without notifying his family.

Turan was told by the lawyer Anar Gasymly. According to him, yesterday he received information that Samedov was taken out of Prison No 11 (in the 7^th micro district of Baku) and was not returned.

On the morning of September 19 the lawyer went to Prison No 11 to verify the information.

It turned out that Samedov was transferred to Prison No 12, which is outside the city, in the village of Puta. There are bad climatic and geographic conditions there - a high concentration of dust due to the desert and proximity of quarries.

The lawyer tried to get an explanation of the reasons for the transfer of Samedov from the Prison Service. "An official rudely refused to talk and said I should ask questions, inviting the media," said Gasymly.

Turan was told in the Prison Service they would not comment on the reasons for the transfer of the convicted person, saying that it was in their jurisdiction, and in accordance with Article 16 of the Code of Corrections, the press shall not be informed about this.

However, this article says nothing about not providing information to the media.

* Movsum Samedov was arrested on January 7, 2011, five days after the fierce criticism of the government of Azerbaijan at the session of the General Assembly of the party.

On October 7 Samedov and six other activists of IPA and theologians were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on charges of trying to seize power, illegal possession of weapons and others. 

Samedov was sentenced to 12 years in jail. The European Court of Human Rights began communicating his case. -06D--