Afghan Mukhtarly's health gets worse in prison, his wife reports

Opposition journalist Afghan Mukhtarly, who was sentenced to six years of imprisonment, complained of severe pains, reported his wife Leyla Mustafaeva. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for Azerbaijan claims that Afghan Mukhtarly has the opportunity to undergo all necessary medical examinations.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 30, 2017, opposition journalist Afghan Mukhtarly emigrated from Azerbaijan to Georgia in 2014, but in 2017, he was brought to court in Azerbaijan. Afghan Mukhtarly complained that he was kidnapped and forcibly taken to his homeland. On January 12, 2018, the Azerbaijani court sentenced him to six years of imprisonment on the charges of illegally crossing the border, smuggling, and resisting a public officer.

Leyla Mustafaeva, a wife of the defendant, living in Germany, informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Afghan Mukhtarly faced problems with his health. "Afghan has called me today and said that he got severe pain in his eyes. He also needs a urological examination. During his stay in prison, he suffers from aggravation of his diabetes," Leyla Mustafaeva complained.

The PR department of the Penitentiary Service refrained from comments. Officials referred to the fact that the MoJ's chief medical department was in charge of the prisoners' health issues. In his turn, Iftikhar Gurbanov, the deputy head of the MoJ's chief medical department, has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Afghan Mukhtarly can undergo a medical examination if he wishes.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 22, 2019 at 03:48 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.