Relatives of Convicts Claim More Than 90 Infected with Corona Virus in Prison No. 13

Baku / 14.05.20 / Turan: The number of people infected with Corona Virus has increased in Prison No. 13, relatives of prisoners said. According to them, in recent days more than 90 infected have been taken out of the jail.

According to the sister of the former head of the International Bank, Jahangir Hajiyev, Amina Hajiyeva, the sanitary and hygienic situation in this jail is difficult.

“The jail is located near stone quarries, from which dust comes into the prisoners’ lungs. In connection with quarantine, a ban on the transfer of food to prisoners was introduced. Whoever has the opportunity buys food at the prison's store, but these foods are not heat-treated. Some do not have money to buy food. As a result of poor nutrition, the prisoners have weakened immunity and they are massively infected.

After I addressed the President through the media, the Justice Ministry acknowledged the presence of those infected. But in fact, there are not 33 patients, but more. I talked with Jahangir on the phone last Saturday, then the tests revealed 28 patients. Tonight he called again and said that 96 sick prisoners had already been taken out of the prison. Only from his hut 30 patients were taken.

Examinations are carried out by rapid tests, but they are not accurate. They even measure the temperature with electronic thermometers, which in five minutes can show other data,” said Amina Hajiyeva.

“Jahangir has been sick for the fourth time in the past two months; he has a severe, suffocating cough. I myself am a doctor and every time I send him medicines, but I don’t know exactly what he is sick with. He has an exacerbated chronic thyroid disease and heart failure, and he has twice already had cardiac arrest. My brother is at risk,” she said.

“They must release the convicts from the prisons at least temporarily and transfer them to house arrest,” said Hajiyeva.

Saleh Rustamli’s brother, political prisoner Taleh Rustamov, also reported mass cases of the Corona Virus infection in Prison No. 13.

“Back in mid-March, at the beginning of quarantine in the jail, many inmates fell ill. I handed over the drugs to the colony for my brother and another 20 people. Saleh even then said that convicts faint 2-3 times a day. But no surveys have been conducted. Only one prisoner was taken out. A week ago, convicts began to become ill in large numbers and only after that they began to conduct tests for Corona Virus.

Today, Saleh called and said that in recent days about 90 people have been taken out of the jail. Today I took medicines there, but they were not received,” T. Rustamov said.

On May 12, the Justice Ministry announced that 33 people were infected in prisons, including Prison No. 12. — 06D-