14:16, 18 August 2007

Emin Guseinov: there is a real threat to life of arrested journalists in Azerbaijan

In the opinion of Emin Guseinov, Chairman of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety, the life and health of the journalists kept in custody in Azerbaijan are in danger.

Mr Guseinov has informed in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that after arrest practically all the journalists experienced sharp aggravation of their health condition. For example, Mirza Sakit's teeth fall out, Einullah Fatullaev has a strong stress, Rovshan Kebirli has serious cardiac pains; the state of health of Faramaz Novruzoglu, a journalist of the "Nota Bene" newspaper, is still very grave. Next week, Mr Novruzoglu will be again operated on, and they claim money from his family for the surgery.

In the opinion of the human rights activist, there is also a serious threat of infectious diseases, since, for example, the detainees are shaved with one and the same razor, their tooth-brushes are kept together, in spite of the fact that there are AIDS, TB and other heavily sick patients among the inmates.

We remind you that today 7 journalists are in prison in Azerbaijan.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent