Osman Narimanoglu has been denied treatment for hepatitis in prison.

The head of the website Demokratik.az, Osman Narimanoglu, has contracted hepatitis C in a prison in Azerbaijan, and the administration of the correctional facility refuses to treat him, complained the journalist's wife.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on November 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan dismissed the cassation appeal of the head of the website Demokratik.az, Osman Narimanoglu, who was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison. The verdict will be challenged in the European Court of Human Rights.

While in the Sheki penitentiary complex, Osman Narimanoglu was often placed in solitary confinement for protesting against violations of his rights, said the journalist's wife, Arzu Rzaeva. According to her, to aggravate the punishment, Narimanoglu was once shaved with a clipper belonging to another inmate who was a carrier of an infectious disease. "At that time, Osman was probably infected with hepatitis C," she told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

Health problems for Narimanoglu began back in September 2025, and then the Sheki District Court granted his request for conditions for examination and treatment.

"However, Osman was transferred to the Medical Institution of the Penitentiary Service in Baku only on May 9 of this year. For three months, he was not properly examined, treated, or diagnosed," complained Arzu Rzaeva.

Only in July, the journalist's relatives were informed that Narimanoglu had been diagnosed with hepatitis C. However, the doctors could not determine exactly when the infection occurred. He was prescribed medication and told that his relatives should buy it themselves, Rzaeva said.

"One package of the medication prescribed to Osman costs 400–420 manats (235–247 dollars), and a three-month course of treatment costs about 1200 manats (about 705 dollars). We do not have the financial means to buy such expensive medication. Osman was unjustly arrested on false charges, but at least let him be treated in prison," she said.

Rzaeva noted that she had contacted the main medical department of the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for the treatment of sick prisoners.

"In response to our request for Osman's treatment, we were told that my husband's health condition is satisfactory. This is just a formality. How can a person's health condition, who is suffering from hepatitis C, be 'satisfactory' without any treatment?" she questioned.

According to Rzaeva, on July 7 of this year, she sent a request to the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan asking to investigate the reasons for Osman Narimanoglu's hepatitis C infection. However, no response has been received to this request.

Arzu Rzaeva also complained about problems with sanitary conditions and food in the Sheki penitentiary complex, where her husband is held. According to her, expired products are given to the inmates, including fish with an unpleasant smell.

"Caucasian Knot" currently has no comments from the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan, the main medical department of the Ministry of Justice, and the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan.