Human rights activists demand from Azerbaijani authorities to investigate Novruzali Mamedov's death

The international organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has sent appeals to the General Public Prosecutor and Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan, urging them to objectively investigate the death on August 17 in the prison hospital of Novruzali Mamedov, head of the Talysh Cultural centre and editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado" (Voice of Talysh).

"We were deeply shocked by the news about Novruzali Mamedov's death, and we call you to follow the international obligations of Azerbaijan and conduct an immediate, complete, impartial and transparent investigation into the death of the editor-in-chief. Presentation of exhaustive and convincing explanations about prisoners' deaths is a duty of the government of Azerbaijan as a party of the European Convention on Human Rights," says the appeal of Holly Cartner, HRW's executive director for Europe and Middle Asia, addressed to the bosses of law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan.

According to Ramiz Mamedov, Novruzali's advocate, local human rights groups and journalists, the editor-in-chief was not provided with high-level treatment, and he died in the prison hospital from cardiac insufficiency. The press services of the State Office of Public Prosecutor and Ministry of Justice said, in response to the request to comment the HRW's appeal, that they have nothing to add to the Ministry's official statement disseminated on August 24.

We remind you that on August 25 the press service of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan made a statement on Mamedov's death, saying that he was not heavily sick and was hospitalized with the diagnosis of osteochondrosis of cervical vertebrae and right shoulder plexitis.

According to the version of the Ministry, on August 17, the inmate's state of health unexpectedly worsened, and, by a preliminary conclusion of the forensic medical examination, the reason of his death was thrombosis and disorder of brain blood circulation.

In his turn, advocate Ramiz Mamedov asserts that the statement of the Ministry's press service has nothing to do with reality.

At present, he prepares a suit on the fact of his client's death in the prison hospital and on violation of his fundamental right - the rights to live.

"Novruzali Mamedov's case is already at the European Court on Human Rights in the context of violation of two articles of the European Convention, namely: Article 5 ("Freedom and the right of inviolability") and Article 14 ("Prohibition of discrimination")," said the advocate.