Penitentiary Service investigates Polad Aslanov's complaint

Baku/20.01.22/Turan: The day before a representative of the Internal Investigations Unit of the Penitentiary Service visited imprisoned journalist Polad Aslanov currently on hunger strike.  He will verify Aslanov's complaint about physical and psychological pressures on him by the staff of colony № 1. This was reported to Turan by his wife Gulmira Aslanova after a telephone conversation with her husband.

According to her, the colony administration harassed other inmates against Polad which put him under serious psychological pressure for a long time.

After his wife's complaint to the ombudsman's office, he was transferred to the medical unit. At that time the ombudsman sent a letter to the management of the Penitentiary Service. "Polad became very weak because of the long hunger strike, but he was able to testify," Aslanova said.

"Polad intends to continue the hunger strike until his case is heard by the Supreme Court," she said.

* xeberman.com editor Polad Aslanov was sentenced on Nov. 16, 2019, to 16 years of imprisonment on charges of treason in favor of Iran. Reporters Without Borders and other human rights groups called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Polad Aslanov.

On January 6, he began a hunger strike demanding a review of his case and an expedited consideration of his appeal in the Supreme Court.

On the 9th day of the hunger strike, the Supreme Court scheduled a hearing of Aslanov's complaint for February 3. -06B-