14:11, 26 March 2016

Prisoner found dead in Azerbaijan

On March 25, the body of Maryam Murtuzova, born in 1959, was found in the Sheki penitentiary institution. This has been reported today by an official from the law enforcement authorities. According to him, Maryam Murtuzova was found hanged on her own scarf. The law enforcement authorities of Azerbaijan believe that the prisoner committed suicide.

Maryam Murtuzova lived in the Zagatala District of Azerbaijan. In 2015, she was sentenced to 6.5 years of imprisonment on charges of drug trafficking, reports the "APA" with reference to an official from the law enforcement bodies.

The Prosecutor's Office of the Sheki District is engaged in the investigation into the prisoner's death, the "Oxu.az" reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, according to the Azerbaijani Committee against Torture, the problem of ill-treatment of prisoners in Azerbaijan has not been solved. Meanwhile, in recent years, the authorities have limited the access to penitentiary institutions for members of the Azerbaijani Committee against Torture.

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