NIDA Protests against Inhuman Treatment of Political Prisoners

Serving a prison sentence, a member of the movement NIDA, blogger Abdul Abilov has been placed in solitary confinement. This was said in the NIDA statement on February 3. The statement authors remind that on 25 January the blogger’s mother Nurjahan Abilova said in the press about the serious health problems of her son.

"The civil movement NIDA investigated and collected information about the arbitrariness of Prison №13 in respect of political prisoners and the pressure on them. We want to inform the public in connection with Abdul Abilov: the latter was placed in solitary confinement due to the fact that he dined with another political prisoner Anar Mammadli. They treated him very rudely in solitary confinement and used physical violence against him. Generally the heads of Prison №13 treat the prisoners very roughly, using various illegal prohibitions and restrictions. In particular, political prisoners are forbidden to communicate with each other and eat together. If this happens, then they are punished," the NIDA statement says.

NIDA demands from the Ministry of Justice, the Prison Service and other relevant authorities investigate what is happening in Prison №13 and stop the inhumane treatment of political prisoners.

The Prison Service has not yet responded to the statement. At the same time, the Prison Service has previously stated that it does not discriminate prisoners or put physical or moral pressure on them.

Abilov was arrested in November 2013 and later convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 5.5 years in prison. He denies the charges and says that he is being persecuted for the creation of Facebook groups "Stop sycophants!" and "End election fraud!" -03B04-