In 2012 in Azerbaijan five people died from torture

In the past year in Azerbaijan the  Committee against Torture received 141 complaints of torture,  and ill-treatment, said at  a news conference, the head of the NGO, Elchin Behbudov.

According to him, at least five people have died from torture  this year. "We are based on specific cases to our committee. Perhaps, there were more  facts of torture, but many victims and their relatives are afraid to complain, " said Behbudov.

  He stressed that  the response often received  by the committee from government agencies

is  "the facts have not been confirmed."

  According to Behbudov, three cases of death from torture  were committed in Gobustan prison, which is run by the Prison Service Department of Justice.

   Another case was recorded in the children's psycho-neurological boarding in Khanlar region where, Zeyneb Ilyasly died. According to the mother, the body of a girl had numerous bruises.

   Another prisoner, Seymour Mikyailov,  kept in the colony N 16, died in a medical institution of Justice.

   In 2010, the Board received 169 complaints, including 11 cases of death from torture, including suicides.

   In 2011, the Committee filed 136 complaints, including 9 deaths from torture, including suicides.

  Most complaints are sent to the Prison Service.  Behbudov said that his leadership of the agency does not allow  him to monitoring, although  he freely visits temporary detention of the police, prison  of the National Security Ministry  (NSM), the specialized agencies of Ministry of Health.

    In the police, he has the opportunity to meet with complainants of torture.

In places of detention the prisoners  are repeatedly beaten after their complaints to the Committee.

   Among the structures to which complaints were sent are also the police, two boarding, security management SOCAR, the deputy head of the administration of Khachmaz, Azer Akhverdiev.

    The most common form of torture is blows with truncheons on the soles, because they do not leave marks, and at the same time, causing terrible pain.

  Behbudov noted with regret that  on the results of investigations,  no one was brought to justice. 

   In turn, the head of public relations department of the Prison Service Department Mehman Sadigov rejected statements of fact of death in custody from torture. According to him, the prosecution investigates every such case  and the  family is  presented a medical opinion on the cause of death.

  Regarding the ban for  Behbudov to visit prisons,  there is a public monitoring committee  under  the penitentiary  of  Ministry of Justice  the structure of which is  updated each year.

According to Sadigov, Behbudov can participate in the election to the committee, or appeal to it, and visit  the places of detention. -06D—