Rights defenders blame Azerbaijani authorities for activist's death in SIZO

The state and the administration of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) shall respond for the death of the Azerbaijani political activist Mekhman Galandarov, since they are in charge for safety and health of their prisoners, human rights activists have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 29 Galandarov's suicide was reported by his friends and relatives. He had been put on the updated list of political prisoners, released on April 1. Galandarov had regularly participated in actions of the opposition.

The press service of the country's General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) has reported that a criminal case was opened on the fact of Galandarov's death at the SIZO under the article on incitement to suicide.

Ogtay Gyulyalyev, the head of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without Political Prisoners", has put the responsibility for Galandarov's death on the authorities.

The Azerbaijani Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) has sharply criticized the authorities.

"Arrests for criticising the authorities in the Facebook have become systematic in Azerbaijan. Most often dissenters and bloggers are accused of the 'drug storage and dealing'. Same was applied to Galandarov," says the statement.

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