On 12 January, human rights defender and blogger Mehman Huseynov gave evidence at the prosecutor’s office for 3 hours 10 minutes regarding his torture by officers of Nasimi district police during his detention.
Today, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) filed a petition with the Prosecutor General’s Office against Mehman Huseynov, as reported by the MIA’s press service. According to the official website of the Ministry, Mehman Huseynov slandered the police by accusing them of serious crimes, and MIA therefore wants this to be investigated.
The press release reads as follows.
“At 7.45 pm on 9 January 2017, the post-patrol service employees serving in the area were informed of two persons violating public order and expressing obvious disrespect to the people nearby at the crossroads of Mardanov Gardashlari and Hazi Aslanov streets in Nasimi district of Baku.
The police officers arrived at the place of the incident and invited those persons to discipline, but they deliberately disobeyed to the lawful requirement of the police and continued their illegal acts. These persons were brought to the regional police department and were identified as Baku residents Mehman Huseynov and Akram Tahmazov. They were detained in accordance with the Administrative Violations Code. On 10 January, a protocol was drawn up about Tahmazov and Huseynov under Article 535.1 (wilful disobedience to lawful requirements of a policeman) of the Administrative Violations Code, and they were sent to the court along with the materials collected. By the Court’s decision, Tahmazov was administratively imprisoned for 10 days, while Huseynov was fined 200 AZN and was released.
However, in his press statements, Huseynov made baseless allegations such as his abduction by the police, five restriction of his freedom, and his subjection to torture including physical pain and mental suffering, in order to deceive the public and to undermine the reputation of the police.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has filed a petition with the Prosecutor General’s Office of the country to give a legal assessment of Huseynov’s act of slandering the police by accusing them of a serious crime. Additional information on the results of the investigation will be published.”
Note that in a media interview following the court hearing Mehman Huseynov said he had been subjected to violence and torture and insulted by the police during detention.