23:59, 16 February 2005

Prison revolt put down in Baku

Convicts of the 11th correctional facility in Baku stopped their protest action this night as the prison was stormed. In the course of the special operation, tear-gas, water jets and firearms were used against the protesters. However nobody suffered in the storm, sources at the Azerbaijan Ministry of Justice say.

The Caucasian Knot correspondent was at the scene this night. He managed to talk with Azerbaijan Deputy Minister of Justice Natik Talybov, who led the special operation. Mr Talybov pointed out that negotiations with the prisoners had produced no result and they had continued the protest action.

Asked whether the convicts' demands would be taken into account in the future in order to prevent such incidents, the deputy minister answered that a commission, consisting of representatives of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Justice, Prosecutor General's Office and Interior Ministry, had been formed. Members of the commission will study the issue thoroughly, appropriate measures based on the commission's decision will be taken, and the guilty will be punished.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent