Convicts report on unwillingness of prison doctors to treat prisoners

Baku/21.06.21/Turan: Relatives and close ones of political prisoners told Turan about difficulties in convicts' treatment. There are frequent cases when prison doctors brush aside requests of patients for urgent examination and hospitalization.

Recently, following demands of human rights defenders, Azerbaijani journalist and human rights activist Elchin Mamed, who is serving his sentence in the 14th penal colony, was transferred to a medical institution under the Penitentiary Service.

However, doctors of the Ministry of Justice fail to comply with demands of convicted journalist Polad Aslanov (1st colony) on his treatment in a clinic equipped with necessary medical equipment.

Aslanov's wife, Gulmira, reports that her husband was visited by doctors, examined his cardiovascular system and reported on the satisfactory health of the convict. On his demand to give him records (cardiogram, ultrasound, etc.) of instrumental examination, the patient was told that a special paper had run out in the machines.

Note that Gulmira Aslanova appeals to the head of the Penitentiary system asking him to allow Polad Aslanov to get treated in a civilian hospital equipped with the necessary equipment.

Also, Gulmira Aslanova informed about grave conditions of Elnur Ismailov, a prisoner in the 1st colony. As a sign of protest against doctors who refused to treat him, he swallowed metal piercing objects damaging his digestive system. Blood flows from the patient; however, no medical care is provided to him.

Numerous phone calls to the Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice came to nothing since two phones as referred to in the department's website do not respond. Earlier, the deputy head of the Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice, Iftikhar Gurbanov, told Turan that convicts often exaggerate their diseases and even feign illness in order to be transferred from the colony to a medical institution.

Note that Turan received an official letter from the Office of the Ombudsman (Commissioner for Human Rights) of Azerbaijan. The response to the Turan' request is dated June 18, 2021.

The letter says that medical and sanitary units are working in all places of sentense execution and monitoring the health of convicts. The Office of the Ombudsman declared a medical examination which revealed a satisfactory state of health of Elchin Mammad. "At present, he does not need hospitalization treatment," - Office said.—06D-