Political prisoners face further mistreatment after reporting abuse and misconduct
Emerging reports indicate the further mistreatment political prisoners face in prison in Azerbaijan in relation to reporting abuse and misconduct. Recent reports from various sources highlight disturbing cases of inhumane treatment some journalists faced following their reports to the outside world exposing prison authorities – especially the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre’s misconduct.
On October 24, Khatai District Court in Baku rejected a complaint by investigative journalist in prison – Ulvi Hasanli. Per the complaint, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of Abzas Media, has faced severe mistreatment after publicly exposing torture within the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre. His wife, Rubaba Guliyeva, detailed instances of physical violence against him, including being violently slammed against a wall by prison guards, resulting in injuries that remain unaddressed despite his complaints. Family visits have also been marred by hostility, with reports of physical and psychological intimidation directed at family members during these encounters. Similarly, Sevinj Vagifgızı, editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, has been denied the right to meet with her mother after she exposed the illegal involvement of foreign prisoners in the snap Parliamentary Elections held on October 1 2024. Her mother revealed that authorities, namely Elnur Ismayilov – the head of the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre, explicitly cited Sevinc’s reporting as the reason for this arbitrary punishment, indicating a pattern of retaliation against dissenting voices. Both journalists have been in prison since November 2023 on smuggling charges whereas both defendants and human rights groups regard the case as politically motivated, aimed at muzzling critical journalistic investigative work of the outlet.
Journalist Ali Zeynalov, who was arrested in connection with the Toplum TV case, faced physical abuse at the Baku Court of Appeal on October 10, as reported by his lawyer, Fariz Namazli. Accordingly, Zeynalov was forced to wait long hours while handcuffed before his hearing. His colleagues believe this treatment is retaliation for his comments during the court session on October 3, where he explicitly mentioned President Ilham Aliyev for ordering his arrest. More recently, in June 2024, the III Republic Platform raised concerns about threats against its imprisoned leader, Akif Gurbanov, and other detainees at the Baku Pre-Trial Detention Center. A high-ranking state official reportedly pressured Gurbanov to halt accusatory statements against the president, threatening him with torture otherwise. The Platform stated that other individuals involved in the ‘Toplum TV’ case are also facing intimidation. The Penitentiary Service unanimously dismisses the allegations of torture unfounded, denying any mistreatment despite the growing number of credible reports.
On October 3, the Khatai District Court extended the detention period for other employees and associates of Toplum TV and the III Republic Platform, who have been held in pre-trial detention since March 2024, by an additional three months. On October 4, the International Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the extension of detention for journalists from four media organisations in Azerbaijan—Abzas Media, Toplum TV, Channel-13, and Meclis.info—over the past 11 weeks.