In Azerbaijan, convicted oppositionist faces threat to his life in SIZO, his brother asserts

Neimat Panakhly, the leader of the Party of National Statehood of Azerbaijan (PNSA), faces a threat to his life in the Baku SIZO (pre-trial prison). This was stated today at a press conference at the office of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) Samad Panakhly, a brother of Neimat Panakhly.

According to him, on July 24 the ward of the oppositionist, sentenced month ago to 6 years in prison, was entered by another prisoner. "On July 25 in the night Neimat suddenly woke up and saw the prisoner with a razor blade in his hands wanting to cut his throat. The prisoner explained that he did not like Neimat," said Samad Panakhly.

According to him, the lawyers of Nemat Panakhly appealed to Elkhan Sadygov, the head of the SIZO, with a complaint, but no investigation was conducted. Samad Panakhly believes that the prisoner attempted on Neimat was intentionally prepared and that he fulfilled the authorities' order.

Samad Panakhly requests for a meeting with Madat Guliev, Chief of Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service.

The Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service denied the information about the attempt on Neimat Panakhly. According to Mekhman Sadygov, Chief of the Public Relations Department, "this was fiction, no attempt had been committed".

According to the official, rights of Neimat Panakhly as a prisoner are fully respected in the SIZO, and his lawyers have unimpeded access to visit the convicted oppositionist.