Azerbaijan: editor-in-chief of Talysh newspaper aged 70 put into dungeon

Novruzali Mamedov, 70, head of the Talysh Cultural Centre and editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado" (Voice of Talysh), who was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for "state treason", was transferred from Investigatory Isolation Facility No. 1 to Penitentiary Establishment No. 15.

Khilal Mamedov, head of the Committee in Defence of Novruzali Mamedov's rights, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the transfer took place on January 14, and on that very day the head of the Talysh Cultural Centre was put into dungeon for 15 days.

"The colony's administration motivated this action by Mamedov's 'disobedience'; allegedly, he refused to put on the prison clothes," Khilal Mamedov said.

"Firstly, we don't believe that Novruzali Mamedov exhibited disobedience. He is an intelligent clever man. Secondly, anyhow, putting a man of 70 into a cold dungeon without bed linen and warm clothes is a barbarity," he has added.

Leila Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, has regarded the actions of the colony administration as Mamedov's torture. As she said, the Institute has informed the international community about the situation with Mamedov, emphasizing that "keeping a sick man of 70 in winter in a dungeon is torture."

So far, any attempts to receive comment at the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijan, have failed, since January 20 in Azerbaijan is a mourning day and day off on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the January tragedy of 1990.