08:58, 16 October 2018

Wife of Azerbaijani journalist Mukhtarly states his inhuman treatment in colony

Afghan Mukhtarly (in the center). Photo: REUTERS/Aziz Karimov

The Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Mukhtarly was placed into dungeon (punishment cell) and subjected to inhuman treatment in the colony, his wife and activists have stated. Mukhtarly was punished for protesting against a new accusation against the oppositionist Mamed Ibragim, they assert. The Penitentiary Service has refuted this information.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 12, the court sentenced Mukhtarly to six years in prison on charges of illegally crossing the border, smuggling and resisting a government official. On September 18, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan upheld the verdict.

On May 30, 2018, the journalist Afghan Mukhtarly, who had left for Georgia in 2014, reported that he was kidnapped and taken to Baku. He laid the blame for his kidnapping on Georgian authorities.

On October 7, Mukhtarly was placed into dungeon, his wife Leyla Mustafaeva, who is in political emigration, has stated.

According to her story, in the dungeon, Mukhtarly "was ordered to take off his clothes and put on a dirty robe," but he refused to do it. "An hour later, they took Afghan out in light clothes and put him under rain," Ms Mustafaeva has stated.

According to her story, they also restricted Mukhtarly's right to make telephone calls.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 15, 2018 at 08:38 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent