It is possible to get used to the prison- prisoner are people too ...

In March 2019, the 24-year-old Giyas Ibrahimov, resident of Baku, along with 50 other political prisoners, was released by a presidential pardon. Giyas, who is sometimes called the "prisoner of the monument" in the press, was convicted with Bayram Mammadov for inscriptions on the pedestal of Heydar Aliyev"s sculpture in Baku in 2016.

Giyas Ibrahim answered the questions of Turan saying that he and Mammadov planned to write on pedestal a slogan against the flower festival, and at the same time, on the night of May 8, 2016, they acted spontaneously. By that time, the authorities had refused to hold a flower festival in Baku, but other events and scenery had been prepared. Seeing the rejection of people for such a costly event, Mammadov and Ibrahimov decided to hold an unconventional protest. "Flowers in a good sense were just an excuse for our action to protest against the regime. It was our individual protest, unconventional and opposition. Our slogan could be published in the press and we would not be punished, but we wanted to express ourselves in some other way. Why precisely monument? It was a symbol of a bad system."

The two young men were sentenced to 10 years in prison. "Of course, it was possible to achieve a shorter term, if we did not behave defiantly in court, but since we did not hold our tongues and spoke boldly, the judge issued a sentence longer than the prosecutor wanted. We expressed our opposition to the authorities at the court hearing, and they sentenced us to a long term. Both during the investigation and in court, we could behave in such a way that we would not be condemned for a long time.

In jail, they did not treat us well; the attitude of the staff towards us was not good. At first, it was especially hard; they beat me and put me in a punishment cell. Then we tried to protect ourselves, to behave so that our conditions did not deteriorate. At first, there was direct physical violence, and then they used other methods of pressure. The attitude towards the political prisoner should be good in jail. Like all people, the guards there are also different. Some guards, though they obey illegal orders, but they do not behave cruelly towards prisoners. Others add their hostility to the demands of authorities. At first, other convicts did not believe us, they were suspicious, but then when they learned the truth about us, the attitude of the prisoners to us became positive, especially by the end. In jail, you must behave so that they respect you. There are mostly people who have experienced many difficulties," Ibrahimov said.

"The information about the pardon came the day before his release; it was rather rumors about lists of pardons. However, the exact information about the release came on that particular day. There is little news and there is an information blockade. Something was told to us during family visits, but something was being hidden. The truth in prison has to be searched between newspaper lines."

We asked about his impressions of the freedom after three years of imprisonment. "There is a lot of new things in the country, but there are also old things. The most interesting thing for me is the easing of people's fear of the regime, at least the spiritual liberation and politicization of the population. People began to say what they think, and this makes me happy." What will happen if you happen to meet in the city with those who tortured you? "I don"t think they walk in the streets, waving their arms. If I meet, I do not know, I would have written something on them. "

When asked about his actions, if it were possible to turn back time, Giyas said, "This is an abstract question that requires an abstract answer. I do not know, maybe I would have done exactly that, even knowing what would happen to us later. "

He has no plans for his future in general, except for some blueprints. "My future will be determined by real events. I do not live by plans when I build, and plans are not accomplished. "

Can it get into trouble again? "The story with an inscription on the monument can be considered a misfortune. However, if something else happens to me, it will be a meaningful action, a struggle. Even then, it was meaningful, but we were not drunk when we went to the statue "...

Giyas Ibrahimov served his term in prison for 1040 days, 2 years, 10 months and one week. He lived a romantic 1040 days, "because with such an arrest and such a conviction, of course, it was romantic. You can get used to prison life; you just have to be a little strong-willed. It was difficult for me, but I still learned to live in prison," said "the prisoner of the monument" Giyas Ibrahimov.

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Bayram Mammadov and his associate Giyas Ibrahimov were detained on May 9, 2016 after Mammadov posted a photo of graffiti on Facebook that they painted on the statue of Heydar Aliyev, the late ex-president. Giyas Ibrahimov was sentenced to 10 years in prison on October 25 by the Baku Serious Crimes Court on drug-related charge. Police claim that about eight grams of heroin were found with Mammadov and Ibrahimov during a search, but activists say that the drugs were planted, and during the interrogation, they were asked only about the graffiti. The police repeatedly demanded that activists publicly apologize for insulting Heydar Aliyev, and subjected them to severe beatings when they refused. Their lawyer said they were bruised after being interrogated during which they were threatened with rape. Ibrahimov and Mammadov were forced to clean the toilets at the police station; it was recorded on a video camera, - reported. amnesty.org.ru in December 2016. Two years later, another three months were added to the previous term of Giyas.