In Azerbaijan, colony warders beat satirist Mirza Sakit

In Azerbaijan, satirist Mirza Sakit, journalist of the oppositional newspaper "Azadlyg" (Freedom), who is serving his term at Penitentiary Establishment No. 14, was beaten.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that this was stated by Rena Zakhidova, Mirza's wife, at today's press conference.

According to her story, on October 18 Sakit was transferred ahead of schedule from the medical establishment of the Ministry of Justice back into the colony. On that very day they wanted to haircut him. The satirist asked not to do it on his birthday. In response, the warders handcuffed him and started beating. His kidneys were strongly damaged. According to Mirza's wife, Elzamin Guliev, head of the colony's regime, took personal part in the beating.

Ms Zakhidova has called all human rights activist and mass media to defend Sakit and punish those who committed physical violence to him.

Azer Ahmedov, director of the "Azadlyg" newspaper, has stated that Sakit's life is under threat, and his transfer to some other colony is a must. As he said, this issue can be settled only in the course of a personal meeting of civil society representatives with Minister of Justice Fikret Mamedov.

Emin Guseinov, director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), has reported that a decision was made to hold a picket on October 21 at 4:00 p.m. at the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan with a demand to punish those guilty of violence against Sakit and release all the convicted journalists.

In its turn, the PR Department of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice has refuted the news about beating of Mirza Sakit.