On March 29th, the Ombudsperson Office employees met with imprisoned journalist Eynulla Fatullayev at Prison#1.
IRFS’ information says that the Ombusdman Office representatives once again met with Fatullayev, who is being held in single cell at his own request. He did not complaint about his treatment by the prison employees. However, he requested to be transferred to Prison 9, 11 or 15, on the grounds that his security is not guaranteed. Fatullayev reported that he had been pressured in Baku Investigative Prison.
At the instruction of the Ombudsperson, the Baku Investigative Prison investigated Fatullayev’s appeal regarding the pressures he faced in prison, and had an individual interview with the prisoner Fatullayev mentioned. The prisoner said that he had not witnessed any illegal action or pressure against Fatullayev.
The journalist sent an appeal to the Minister of Justice for help with a transfer to Prison 9.
Penitentiary Service spokesman Mehman Sadigov told IRFS that the appeal will be comprehensively investigated.
BACKGROUND
On the 29th of December, 2009, 0.223 grams of heroin was reportedly found on Fatullayev in Prison #12 and on the 6th of July, 2010, Fatullayev was found guilty under article 234.1 ( possession of narcotics) of the Criminal Code. His sentence of two years and six months in prison began on the same date. His appeal against the decision was rejected.
In 2007, Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of “Realniy Azerbaydjan” and “Gundelik Azerbaycan” newspapers, was sentenced to 8.5 years in jail for threatening terrorism, amongst other charges. However, on April 22, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled for his immediate release and financial compensation from the Azerbaijani government (27,800 EUR). The Azerbaijani Supreme Court Plenum has only partially fulfilled the decision.
At the instruction of the Ombudsperson, the Baku Investigative Prison investigated Fatullayev’s appeal regarding the pressures he faced in prison, and had an individual interview with the prisoner Fatullayev mentioned. The prisoner said that he had not witnessed any illegal action or pressure against Fatullayev.
The journalist sent an appeal to the Minister of Justice for help with a transfer to Prison 9.
Penitentiary Service spokesman Mehman Sadigov told IRFS that the appeal will be comprehensively investigated.
BACKGROUND
On the 29th of December, 2009, 0.223 grams of heroin was reportedly found on Fatullayev in Prison #12 and on the 6th of July, 2010, Fatullayev was found guilty under article 234.1 ( possession of narcotics) of the Criminal Code. His sentence of two years and six months in prison began on the same date. His appeal against the decision was rejected.
In 2007, Eynulla Fatullayev, editor-in-chief of “Realniy Azerbaydjan” and “Gundelik Azerbaycan” newspapers, was sentenced to 8.5 years in jail for threatening terrorism, amongst other charges. However, on April 22, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled for his immediate release and financial compensation from the Azerbaijani government (27,800 EUR). The Azerbaijani Supreme Court Plenum has only partially fulfilled the decision.