Ahmad Mammadli, an imprisoned public activist and founder of “Yoldash Media,” faces the grave risk of losing his eyesight. This alarming news comes from the Committee for the Protection of Mammadli’s Rights, which has been vocal about his deteriorating health in detention.
According to the Committee, a doctor who examined Mammadli in the pre-trial detention center confirmed the risk of him losing his vision. To counter this, the doctor emphasized the critical need for Mammadli’s immune system to remain robust. Consequently, he is currently receiving a high-calorie diet and vitamins.
The Committee alleges that Mammadli was subjected to torture upon his detention on May 6. They report that severe blows sustained on that day caused a serious injury to his eye. Over a month later, the affected eye still experiences blurry vision, and the alleged torture has severely weakened his immune system. Compounding these issues, Mammadli has undergone two previous eye surgeries and suffers from genetic asthma, which is causing him difficulty breathing in the prison environment. Given these dire circumstances, the Committee is urgently demanding his release to house arrest, arguing that the current prison conditions are unsuitable for his health.
Mammadli was detained on May 6, and a four-month pre-trial detention order was issued against him on May 8. He stands accused under articles of the Criminal Code related to deliberately causing serious harm to health and hooliganism. However, Mammadli vehemently denies these charges, asserting that he is being punished for his past socio-political and current journalistic activities. His family further claims that his arrest followed his filming of the trial of imprisoned politician Tofiq Yaqublu.
While the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) generally denies allegations of torture against detainees, local human rights defenders report that there are currently 375 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, a claim the government refutes, stating that individuals are held accountable for specific actions. Mammadli himself has a history of confrontation with authorities; in 2022, as chairman of the now-disbanded D-18 Movement, he was administratively arrested for 30 days for allegedly disobeying a lawful police order, an arrest he attributed to his advocacy for peace and criticism of President Ilham Aliyev.