Former investigator Rufat Safarov has been transferred to Prison #9 for several days now, but things continue to worsen, Safarov’s father Eldar Sabiroglu said after a meeting with his son on 10 January.
According to Sabiroglu, there is continuous psychological pressure and harassment against Rufat. “I am gravely concerned about my child’s life. Today, I went to the prison with his mother Mrs. Tahira Safarova to meet with our son. It became apparent that Rufat is being subjected to psychological pressure. Their purpose is to get on his nerves and provoke him. Rufat is held in the same cell of the quarantine section as a mentally ill inmate who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy. At night, Rufat cannot sleep because of his noise and screams. As if that were not enough, a prison captain by the name of Elnur has humiliated and insulted him. I am starting to worry that one day we may receive bitter news about Rufat’s life, which they can misrepresent as a suicide and consider the case closed. I demand that Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov take the issue under his personal supervision,” Eldar Sabiroglu said.
Sabiroglu conveyed Rufat’s message to the public at his son’s request. “My dear compatriots, dear sisters and brothers, I am forced to make this appeal to you. Do not deny your support for me nor the members of the committee protecting my rights. The pressure is intensifying. I have been kept locked up with a recidivist and a mentally ill person and, as if it were not enough, I am insulted and verbally humiliated. However, you can be sure that I am firm and strong-willed, and continue my struggle against this despotic regime!”