Neimat Panahli transferred to Gobustan prison

Yesterday the judge of the Khazar district, Afghan Gahramanov, held a meeting in Jail No 17. The court ruled that Neimat Panahli will hold the remainder of his sentence in the Gobustan prison. The decision was taken on the basis of the inquiry of the prison chief Arif Mirzoev and motivated by the fact that Panahli violates internal order and discipline.

Panahli disagreed with the decision and intends to appeal, the lawyer Elchin Aliyev told Turan. The counsel also considers the decision illegal.

In turn, Panahli’s wife, Ghajar, called the court's decision to transfer her husband to the closed prison unfair. According to her, in the last days her husband was again placed in solitary confinement. He was previously subjected to this kind of punishment in connection with the protests against the lawlessness and the requirement to respect the rights of prisoners.

We failed to get comments from the prison service.

* Panahli and his friend Jeyhun Farzullaev were arrested on January 8, 2011 on charges of hooliganism and inflicting less serious injuries. They were sentenced to six and four years, respectively, in prison. Farzullaev was pardoned late last year.

Local human rights organizations believe Panahli is a political prisoner.  -16D06-