Bekhbudov satisfied with the meeting with the Minister of Defense

On April 5 the Head of the Committee against Torture, Elchin Behbudov, was received by Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov. According to Behbudov at a press conference on April 7, the conversation lasted more than an hour, and he asked the Minister questions relating facts of torture and inhuman treatment in the army. Hasanov assured the human rights activist that these issues are under his personal control.

One of the innovations by Hasanov, appointed by the Minister in October 2013, was the release of the soldiers from cleaning canteens and toilets. Just in these spheres were conflicts on the basis of inhuman treatment. Now, cleaning toilets and cooking involved civilians. Measures shall be taken, and to improve the health and nutrition of soldiers. So, there will not be margarine, and food will be cooked on butter. The number of diseased from tuberculosis also increased.

In addition, by the order of the Minister of the Army 100 ill people called to military service  were fired.

The practice of non-execution of court decisions the Ministry of Defense on the violation of the rights of  military servants was stopped.

Hasanov assured a human rights activist that the Committee against Torture may conduct regular monitoring in military units, disciplinary divisions and the guardhouse.

As for the deaths of soldiers from torture, no such case was  observed in the army over the past six months. However, several facts of suicide  were noted since the beginning of the year. Being asked to comment on these facts a human rights activist said that it is impossible to speak about it  without investigating the causes of the  suicide. Bekhbudov noted that since the beginning of 2013 he had not received any complaints of torture and inhuman treatment in the army.

In total, since the beginning of the year the Committee against Torture received 27 complaints on torture in jail , jails , police beatings by bailiffs,  and even  by the employee Sabail executive power.

Behbudov  was interested also  in the arrest in the Navy, and the minister replied that " there is no place for corruption in the army, and the responsible must answer before the law."

In addition, the group of Generals , including former Chief of Military Counterintelligence Elman Qambarov, were fired by the new leadership of the Ministry of Defense. The minister explained it  by  the Generals’ ages and the need to create conditions for the promotion of young commanders.

The human rights activist said that Qambarov created in the military counterintelligence  an illegal prison  at a depth of six meters, where people were  tortured. ( The "prison"  has already been liquidated.)

"I myself was once arrested on charges concocted by Qambarov. Moreover , he personally came and watched  how I was tortured in the basement. Of course, there is no place for such Generals in the army,"- said Bekhbudov.

Being asked to comment on the recent use of teargas against the  arrested activists  of NIDA Movement, Behbudov said he received a complaint from the father of one of the defendants.

If young people were locked, and there was no real threat to their escape, the use of tear gas  was unreasonable, said Bekhbudov .

Commenting  on the  complaints of the journalist Parviz Hashimli of torture in jail MNS, Behbudov said that every time during monitoring he is interested in thehealth of the accused. According to him, recently Hashimli was  allowed to meet with his wife and daughter. Behbudov  is ready to ask for his meetings with parents , if Hashimli asks.

Bing asked about  the complaint of torture against  former Health Minister, Ali Insanov , Behbudov said that he is not admitted to convicted, despite the wishes of the latter.

Human rights activist believes that the request of  Insanov  to send him to jail  close to his home  must be satisfied . Behbudov spoke about difficult conditions in jail N 13 , where Insanov was sent back to serve his sentence.

Behbudov also said that  on the results of the first  six months of the year he  will present a detailed report on the facts of torture in 2014. -06D-