Azerbaijan: health condition of imprisoned journalist Fatullaev is worse

As reported by Anar Gasymov, Einullah Fatullaev's advocate, the life of his client, kept imprisoned in Azerbaijan, is under threat; the lawyer believes that the journalist should be delivered to another place of detention.

On March 2, Fatullaev was transferred from SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Baku to Colony No. 1. "Einullah was voluntarily placed into dungeon, because it is the only place where he is isolated from other prisoners," the lawyer said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"The journalist's life is under threat," said Gasymov and noted that Einullah had received confidential information that a "provocation with hands of criminal authorities" may be organized against him.

The journalist believes that the only place of detention, where he would feel more or less secure, is Colony No. 9, where former employees of law enforcement and other state bodies are kept. However, despite the insistent Fatullaev's requests he was not placed there, said Gasymov.

"The journalist was in fact deceived: when he was taken out of the SIZO, they told him that he would be placed into Colony No. 9. For a few hours he was transported around the city; then, suddenly, two men in military uniform and masks broke into the van. They pushed him to the floor of the prisoners' compartment and kept Fatullaev with his face down until he reached Colony No. 1. Apparently this was done to expose the journalist to psychological pressure," continued Gasymov.

After two weeks in the dungeon - a cold concrete cell in the basement, the journalist lost a lot of his weight. "Fatullaev looks more like a prisoner of war than a civil inmate; he is under stress, coughing all the time. His hands are covered with rash, and sores appeared in his mouth," said Gasymov.

Fatullaev is provided no medical care; and he does not ask to invite doctors. The lawyer noted that Fatullaev can tolerate the dungeon for no more than a month; and the responsibility for his fate will be on the administration of Colony No. 1.

The lawyer said that on March 11 the journalist sent a letter to President Ilham Aliev. Without revealing the contents of the letter, Gasymov said that Fatullaev expressed his hope that his name would be "in the next list of those pardoned." The next amnesty is expected by the spring holiday of Novruz, which is celebrated on March 20-21. According to the lawyer, Einullah asked him to convey that his release depends only on "the will of the president, and I hope that he will not leave me in prison."

The lawyer called on journalists and rights defenders to launch a public campaign in defence of Fatullaev's rights. A group of democratic public activists has already held - in the office of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) - a special meeting dedicated to Fatullaev's fate.

Shahvalyad Chobanoglu, a well-known journalist, a laureate of the prestigious Gerd Bucerius Prize and Fatullaev's colleague and collaborator, spoke about "a real threat to Einullah's life". In his view, "the journalist may be killed by criminals in the colony."

Intigam Aliev, head of the Society of Legal Enlightenment, said that a group of rights defenders had discussed the Fatullaev's case with the US Ambassador Matthew Bryza. Intigam Aliev called to hold mass protest actions, if Fatullaev's rights were not ensured, and he was not released.

In his turn, Mekhman Sadygov, head of public relations of the Penitentiary Service, said in his comment on Fatullaev's demand to transfer him to Colony No. 9 that "at present, there is no threat to life and health of Einullah Fatullaev."

Along with that, he noted a possibility of transferring the journalist to some other penitentiary establishment, should such a threat arise.

Rabiyat Aslanova, head of the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, has treated the Fatullaev's statement about a threat to his life as "an artificially raised excitement aimed to draw attention to his person." In her comment on the possibility of pardoning Fatullaev in view of his appeal to the president, Ms Aslanova said that his appeal contained no remorse for his actions, as the Internet edition "mediaforum.az" quotes her as saying.