Mehman Huseynov Transferred to Jail with Difficult Conditions of Detention - Human Rights Activists

Baku / 24.04.17 / Turan: In connection with the entry into force of the verdict, the blogger Mehman Huseynov was transferred from the Shuvalan prison to Prison No 14 in the Gyzyldash settlement of the Garadagh district of Baku. This is the most remote jail from the city of Baku.

The head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners Elshan Hasanov believes that the direction of Huseynov to Prison No 14 is a sort of “revenge” to him for criticizing the authorities.

“Mehman Huseynov is a popular person in society. He criticizes high-ranking officials. These people now take revenge for criticism. The direction of the blogger to the most remote jail is a punitive measure,” Hasanov told Turan.

Under the law, Huseynov was to serve his sentence in the territory of the district where he lives. While in the Surakhani district there are prisons, the blogger was sent to prison in the Garadagh district. Prison No. 14 is located in the village of Gyzyldash, surrounded by stone quarries. When a wind blows, the dust makes everything not visible even at a distance of one meter. “There is no constant water supply. In summer it is very hot, and in winter it is too cold. “Sanitary norms are also far from standards,” the human rights activist continued.

Because of the long distance, it will be difficult to visit Huseynov, not only by his relatives and supporters, but also by representatives of international organizations, Hasanov believes.

The head of the Human Rights Club Rasul Jafarov also noted that Prison No. 14 is located in a remote place.

 “The jail is on the relief below the stone quarries and all the dust and dirt from there first of all are experienced by the prisoners of this penitentiary,” Jafarov told Turan.

There are big problems with water supply and heating system. Water supply often stops, and minimal heating requirements are not provided in winter. Formally, the jail is a common regime institution. But in the Soviet era and the first years of independence, this jail was turned to a strict regime. Although the regime was changed, the conditions remained the same.

Jafarov drew attention to the fact that people who strongly criticized the authorities, i.e. the poet-satirist Mirza Sakit, the blogger Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, the oppositionists Vidadi Iskenderov, Shahin Hasanli, Tural Abbasly, Ahad Mammadli and others, were imprisoned there.

The head of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS), blogger Huseynov was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment on March 3 on charges of libel against the Nasimi district police chief, Musa Musayev. On April 12, the appellate court upheld the verdict

Many international organizations condemned Huseynov's sentence, treating it as a punishment for criticizing the authorities, in particular, for the negative reporting about Mehriban Aliyeva's appointment as Vice-President of the country. -05B06-