Advocates complain about refusals of visits to Azerbaijani oppositionists

Muhammad Imanly and Ramid Nagiev, the arrested members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), are not allowed to call their relatives and to be visited by advocates, their defenders claim. Rufat Safarov, the director of the NGO "Line of Defence", suggests that the prisoners were tortured.

Muhammad Imanly and Ramid Nagiev, arrested in connection with a march in support of the Azerbaijani army, were transferred from a penal colony to a medical facility. Agil Magerramov, a member of the PFPA Presidium, also stayed there since July 19, but was later sent to a punishment cell.

Agil Laidjev, an advocate of Ramid Nagiev, had not a single chance to visit his client since his arrest.

"We are not allowed to visit Muhammad Imanly under the pretext of his alleged coronavirus infection, but they do not provide evidence of their statement," said Asabali Mustafaev, a defender of Muhammad Imanly.

Rufat Safarov, the director of the NGO "Line of Defence", suggests that the refusals of advocates' visits to the prisoners may be related by torture used against them.

"They might be placed to a hospital under the pretext of infection in order to hide the signs of torture ... This can continue until the signs of violence disappear," Rufat Safarov suggests.