The April 25th statement released by the General Prosecutor’s Office claims that the news reports of police torture during the preliminary investigation are unfounded. The statement also says that the Prosecutor’s Office has not received any appeal in regard to torture or mistreatment. This statement, in the face of Sadigov’s documented appeals, is yet another instance of violation of due process by Azerbaijani law-enforcement agencies.
IRFS calls upon Azerbaijani law-enforcement agencies to investigate the allegations of torture, punish those responsible, revoke these trumped-up charges, and release them immediately.
IRFS also asks the human rights commissioner (Ombudsman) not to turn a blind eye to this issue and to investigate the case fully. The Ombudsman’s Office recently released a statement saying that a meeting was held with the imprisoned journalists and that they had voiced no complaints about their treatment. IRFS calls on the Ombudsman’s Office to meet with journalists once again and to investigate the issue comprehensively.
IRFS calls on the international organizations to monitor torture and harassment of journalists in Azerbaijan, and demand the Azerbaijani authorities to abide by the International Anti-Torture Convention, of which it is a signatory.