On 12 January, the committee to defend the rights of jailed former investigator Rufat Safarov released an appeal.
The appeal reads as follows.
“We – the members of the committee for the protection of the wrongly convicted Rufat Safarov’s rights – are seriously concerned that since the day he was arrested Safarov has been regularly subjected intentional and undue emotional stress and psychological pressure. The provocations against him have not stopped even after the politically-motivated trial, on the contrary, they have become even more intense. While in Kurdakhani detention centre, a recidivist with a 25-year prison record was put in the same cell as Rufat. After his relocation to Prison #9, a patient with epilepsy and mental problems caused a constant inconvenience for him. Safarov was treated harshly and with great prejudice. Apparently, these provocations against the former investigator come from the top levels of the government, which is a source of great concern for us.
Such cruel and illegal actions against its citizens and attempts to deviate dissidents from the path of truth by any means necessary is more proof that there is nothing sacred for the current government and it seeks to silence young conscientious people and subdue them to its own will. We state with full accountability that such an unlawful treatment of innocent people has become a common practice for the authorities, especially for law enforcement agencies and courts, and this fact is dragging the society towards danger. Some law enforcement agencies and courts acting on political instructions are directly guilty of framing, arresting, and torturing individuals fighting the widespread corruption and bribery in the country, and this must end.
Despite all the efforts of the people whose rights are grossly violated, their relatives, and international organisations, the current regime uses all illegal means to maintain its rule, but it cannot last forever. We – the Committee to protect Rufat Safarov’s rights – call on law enforcement agencies, particularly the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice, which are obliged to monitor the proper implementation of laws in prisons, to put an end to the harassment of Rufat Safarov and to comply with the existing laws in good faith.”
Defence Committee: 26 members.