Azerbaijani Ombudsperson petitions to transfer Fatullaev to another colony for safety reasons

Elmira Suleimanova, Ombudsperson in Azerbaijan, has appealed to the Minister of Justice in the context of the alleged threat to journalist Einullah Fatullaev and asked to consider - within the legislation - a possibility to move him to Colony No. 9. However, according to information from the Ministry of Justice, there is no threat to Fatullaev within the local penitentiary system.

On March 29, employees of the office of the Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan for the second time within the last 10 days visited the imprisoned journalist Fatullaev. His case is under special control of the Ombudsperson Elmira Suleimanova, said the office.

Einullah Fatullaev is kept at the penitentiary establishment No. 1 of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan. On his personal wish, because of threats to his safety, he is kept in the dungeon.

As reported this evening by the press office of the Ombudsperson, Fatullaev did not complain about his treatment by the administration and personnel of the colony.

Along with that, Einullah Fatullaev said that while in the Baku SIZO (pre-trial prison) he was subjected to pressure, as he had earlier written to the Ombudsperson. He also reiterated his request to transfer him - for the sake of his personal safety - to one of other three colonies - Nos. 9, 11 or 15.

The office of the Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan does not confirm the facts of pressure as specified in journalist Fatullaev's letter.

"The journalist's letter on the pressure on him in SIZO was investigated by the personnel of the office of the Ombudsperson, but the facts 'were not confirmed'," runs the release of the press service of the Ombudsperson.

Nevertheless, the Ombudsperson has again appealed to the Minister of Justice to ensure that the journalists' request to move to another colony is satisfied.

The journalist thanked Suleimanova for her attention to his case and bringing doctors of the Chief Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice to render medical help to him - this is the conclusion of the release of the press service of the Ombudsperson.

So far, no comments have been available from the Ministry of Justice and the Penitentiary Service.

In his turn, Emin Guseinov, director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), has treated the reaction of the Ombudsperson to the situation with Fatullaev, whose fate causes "serious concern" as positive. However, according to Guseinov, complete elimination of threat may be stated only after the journalist is transferred to another colony.

Meanwhile, Rabiyat Aslanova, head of the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, called Fatullaev's statement about the threat to his life "an artificially raised excitement aimed to draw attention to his person."

Earlier, advocate Anar Gasymov had stressed the need to give highest priority to the issue of Fatullaev's safety in prison. According to his story, the journalist should be moved at his request to the safer Colony No. 9.