Category: Ministry of justice

Hasanov Jejhun

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

OFFICERS OF THE PENITENTIARY SERVICE GUILTY IN VIOLENCE AND TORTURES

Hasanov Jejhun

Deputy Minister of Justice of theRepublic of Azerbaijan, head of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice

 

Head of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice general-major Jejhun Hasanov on November 20, 2017appealed to the Bar Association, calling to punish the lawyer Yalchin Imanov. In this appeal the lawyer was accused in “actions aimed at disturbing public order”.

 

Lawyer Yalchin Imanov appealed to the court about the facts of torture in Gobustan prison regarding his client Abbas Huseynov, lawyer Imanov also told the media about torture in Gobustan prison against Abbas Huseynov and other activists of the movement “Muslim Unity”.
The penitentiary service regarded this as “actions aimed at disturbing public order”.

 

20 November the Presidium of the Bar Association decided to suspend the powers of lawyer Yalchin Imanov, known for the protection of the rights of many political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

 

Presidium of the Bar Association apply to the court to exclude Y. Imanov from Bar. Before the court’s decision, Yalchin Imanov is suspended from participating in the defense.

 

Human rights defender Elshan Hasanov called deplorable the use of the Bar itself in eliminating the defenders unwanted by the authorities. Earlier, Alaif Hasanov, Aslan Ismayilov, Khalid Baghirov, Elchin Namazov and others well-known in the protection of the rights of political prisoners, lawyers were deprived of their legal powers in the same way.

 

The population of Azerbaijan in 2017 is about 10 million people. Rights of citizens since January 2018 will be entitled to protect only members of the Bar Association, whose number in November 2017 is about 930 people. The number of lawyers, who have courage and civil position to protect the rights of political prisoners is rapidly decreasing, in November 2017 – no more than 8-9 people.

Agayev Avtandil

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

OFFICERS OF THE PENITENTIARY SERVICE GUILTY IN VIOLENCE AND TORTURES

Agayev Avtandil

Colonel

Colonel Avtandil  Agayev –  Chief of the Gobustan.
The Gobustan prison is the prison for convicts for life imprisonment and for long periods of imprisonment. In Gobustan prison, prisoners are kept in cells. It is not allowed to walk, work, study prisoners there, meetings with relatives are rare.
In July- August 2017 Chief of the Gobustan prison Avtandil Agayev, his deputy Emin Jafarov, employees Ilkin Akhundov, Namig Agayev and workers named Rovshan, Igbal tortured the prisoners of so called “ Nardaran case”, sentenced to Gobustan prison. These officers personally tortured Abbas Huseynov, Taleh Bagirov, Jabbar Jabbarovand others.
A. Huseynov himself told the lawyer Yalchin Imanov about tourtures.
On July 22, 2017 he and another convicted Jabbar Jabbarov were taken to the Gobustan prison. As soon as they were brought there, they were immediately handcuffed and dragged along the asphalt.
Huseynov, Jabbarov and another prisoner were put face to face with a wall and kept under the scorching sun. When Huseynov announced his rights, he was told that “here is Gobustan”.
An employee named Rovshan, pointing at Huseynov, said: “This person says a lot, explain all to him,” after which he was beaten with a truncheon by the ensign Ilkin Akhundov. Then Huseynov was thrown into the punishment cell. Despite the fact that the period of detention in the punishment cell expired on July 29, Huseynov was held there until August 5.
In the punishment cell, the situation is terrible; worms and insects crawl along the floor, the toilet is there and absolute uncleanness reigns.
On July 25, Major Namig Guliyev struck Huseynov with his fists in the stomach and in the face, threatening to torture him with an electric shock and mockingly saying: “A truncheon is an inseparable friend of a prisoner.” When Huseynov said that he would complain, the major said that “let you complain where you want.” Moreover, an act was drawn up about the alleged insult of the prison staff by Huseynov.
For 17 days in Gobustan prison, Huseynov was pronounced four reprimands. On July 26, he was taken out of the punishment cell under the pretext of meeting with the commander. However, in the courtyard of the prison, he was tied to an iron post and held for 3 hours under the scorching sun, his hands clasped in handcuffs.
On July 29, despite the completion of the detention in the punishment cell, Huseynov was returned to the punishment cell on the pretext that there were “no places in the quarantine”.
Abbas Huseynov said that on July 29, Taleh Bagirov, leader of the Movement “ Muslim Unity”, was brought to the Gobustan prison. He was kept in the next cell, and Huseynov heard how bad he was feeling. When Bagirov asked the warden Ilkin Akhundov to call a doctor, the warden began to insult the convict.
In response, Huseynov and Jabbarov began to protest, and other prisoners joined their protest, demanding that the warden be punished. A. Huseynov was threatened with sending to the so-called “tuberculosis zone” (prison for tuberculosis patients).
On August 5 Huseynov, in connection with the expiration of the “quarantine” term, was taken to the chief of the Gobustan prison Avtandil Agayev. When Huseynov began to talk about lawlessness, A.Agayev interrupted him and said: “Here is Gobustan – a place where rights end.”

After that Huseynov was thrown to the floor, and Avtandil Agayev began to beat him with a truncheon. The chief of prison struck him 30-35 strokes, including on the head. After that Huseynov was put in a punishment cell for 8 days more. In the punishment cell he was knocked down, handcuffed on his arms and legs (actually crucified), and in this condition he was kept in a punishment cell for two days.
According to the lawyer, there are many injuries and bruises on Huseynov’s body – the back, the legs, the lower back and the knees. On the wrists and legs, there are traces of handcuffs. Huseynov moves with difficulty, limps on one leg and cannot sit.
More information: Abbas Huseynov Tortured in Gobustan Prison – Lawyer 2017 August 09
http://www.contact.az/ext/news/2017/8/free/Social/en/64786.htm

From 1999 to 2007, about 40 prisoners died for various reasons in the Gobustan prison. The Council of Europe notes that in Gobustan prison there is a high level of violence and bullying of prisoners.