In Baku, advocate of Khadija Ismayilova reports her one-day placement into dungeon

The arrested Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova was placed for one day into the dungeon of SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 1 as punishment for publishing her open letter in the media. The incident occurred on January 15, but we learnt about it only today, said the lawyer Yalchin Imanov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 5 Khadija Ismayilova was questioned at the Baku City Prosecutor's Office, after which the court ruled to put her into custody as accused of incitement to a suicide attempt of her former colleague Tural Mustafaev. Her defence treats the accusation as absurd and her arrest as illegal.

According Yalchin Imanov, claims of SIZO bosses to Khadija appeared after her open letter, addressed to colleagues and supporters.

The letter was read out on January 7 in the programme AzadliqLIVE (Freedom Live on Air) of the Azerbaijani Service of Radio Liberty, posted on the radio's website and then reposted by other media of Azerbaijan.

"What can I expect from those who want to deal with me by all means? In fact, in spite of the helpless status of judges and prosecutors, they make me pity them. Strange as it sounds, I'm proud to see them in this way in these processes. It's nice to feel free as compared with these officials," Ismayilova wrote, in particular.

According to the advocate, the actions of the SIZO staff were "completely illegal".

"Detainees and inmates may be placed into the dungeon only for breaching the discipline and order in the facility; however, dissemination of a letter in the media is not such violation," Imanov said.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.