SIZO bosses prohibit Afghan Mukhtarly from meeting opposition activists

The family of Afghan Mukhtarly has issued a proxy to Samir Asadli and Masud Asker, activists of the "Nida" movement, to visit Afghan at the SIZO (pre-trial prison). However, as the activists said, SIZO bosses rejected the visit, stating that the investigator should issue a permit.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Afghan Mukhtarly disappeared on May 29 in Tbilisi. On May 30, he telephoned his advocate Nemat Kerimli and said that he was brought to Baku. According to Mukhtarly, during the kidnapping, he was exposed to violence and beatings.

"The family of Afghan Mukhtarly family has issued a power of attorney to us to visit him at Baku SIZO-1. But today (on June 17), Masud and I were denied a meeting for the second time. We were told that the investigator should give a permit for a meeting. However, under the law, this right belongs to SIZO top managers," Samir Asadli told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Elchin Sadygov, a Mukhtarly's advocate, has stated the illegality of any restriction of Mukhtarly's right to meet his relatives and friends.

"According to Article 15 of the Law 'On Ensuring Rights and Freedoms of Persons Held in Jails', an inmate has the right once a week to meet his close relatives or persons important for his legitimate interests. Mukhtarly's close relatives live not in Baku; therefore, they gave a proxy to visit him to activists Samir Asadli and Masud Asker. They have the right to meet Afghan once a week. The ban imposed on meetings is illegal," said the advocate.

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