Rights defenders criticize inquiry into death of Azerbaijani activist

The conclusion of the Baku City Prosecutor's Office, which failed to any crime elements in the death case of Mekhman Galandarov, an activist and blogger, at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), has not convince the rights defenders and lawyers interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the death of Mekhman Galandarov, a participant of opposition's actions, at Baku SIZO-1 became known in April 2017. The Prosecutor's Office opened a case on incitement to suicide; and two SIZO employees were fired. However, rights defenders demanded an independent investigation.

"On behalf of the public group for an independent inquiry into Galandarov's death, several appeals were sent to the Prosecutor's Office. On February 15, the group received information about the results of the inquiry. It turned out that the case was closed back on July 26, 2017," Ogtai Gyulialyev, the head of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without Political Prisoners", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, adding that he questions the objectivity of the inquiry; in his opinion, "there are a lot of strange things in this case."

"Galandar Mukhtarly, the head of the National Democratic Party and Mekhman's friend, saw traces of violence on his body in the morgue. We demanded an exhumation, but this was not done. Galandarov was secretly buried by employees of the Penitentiary Service. If there was no 'crime event', as the Prosecutor's Office writes, then why have they fired a SIZO's warder and the officer in charge of education work, and was another employee reprimanded?" Mr Gyulialyev asked the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

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