Activist Complains about Conditions of Detention in Sumgayit Police

Baku/05.03.21/Turan: Elmir Abbasov, an activist of the NIDA movement, who is serving an administrative arrest for a period of 30 days, is not provided with conditions for observing personal hygiene.

Turan was told about this by his mother Matanat Abbasova, who met with the son in the police on March 4.

“Elmir did not complain about his health. But, already for 14 days, they have not created opportunities for him to bathe. 10 days ago I handed over a change of clothes to the police, but he did not receive it.

He is kept in the same clothes for 14 days,” said the activist's mother.

Abbasov was detained on February 19 in Sumgayit, where he lives and the next day he was arrested for 30 days. The court found him guilty under Art. 206 (illegal use of narcotic substances in the amount required for personal consumption) of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

During his appeal, Abbasov stated that in the police he was subjected to physical pressure and drugs were planted on him.

The NIDA movement linked his arrest to a post he posted on February 16 on Facebook, in which Abbasov criticized the country's leadership.

However, the head of the public relations department of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Elshad Hajiyev denied to the Turan agency allegations of physical pressure on Elmir Abbasov and persecution of him for publications.

He also called the information about the absence of conditions for the observance of personal hygiene by the activist under arrest untrue.

“In accordance with the order, every person serving an administrative sentence is provided with conditions for observing hygiene standards,” Hajiyev said.

On January 12, Abbasov was detained by the police. According to him, he was released after he removed a critical post addressed to the country's leadership.  –21B-