Activists are not happy with the investigation of the death of M. Galandarov

Baku / 11.05.17 / Turan: The Azerbaijani government does not take proper measures to investigate the circumstances of the death of the activist and blogger Mehman Galandarov in the Kuradakhan  jail,  reads the statement of the Working Group on drawing up a single list of political prisoners. The authors of the statement regard this attitude of the authorities as not respect for international obligations in the field of human rights.

Galandarov was found dead in the remand prison on April 28. According to the official version, he hanged himself. In fact, a lawsuit was filed on Article 125 (bringing to suicide) of the Criminal Code. Two  jail employees were dismissed from their jobs, another sentenced. A joint statement of the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Justice alleged that there were no signs of violence against Galandarov.

However, the authors of the statement draw attention to the fact that since death occurred in a closed institution, the responsibility for this is borne by the state. To refute this government should ensure an objective investigation of the causes of death, so fabricated against him a criminal case.

Officials who arrested Galandarov should be punished.

The working group also calls on the authorities to create conditions for conducting their own investigation of a public among civil activists and independent experts. The working group includes human rights activists Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, journalist Khadija Ismayilova, and others.-06D-