Penitentiary Service refuses Mekhman Guseinov of visiting his sick mother

The Penitentiary Service has dismissed a request of blogger Mekhman Guseinov's to provide a meeting with his seriously ill mother. Officials motivated their refusal by the fact that the sentenced blogger did not participate in "correctional activities" in the penal colony. Activists consider the decision of the Penitentiary Service to be illegal and inhumane.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 30, about 10 journalists and NGO activists appealed to the Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service with a request to provide a short-term leave to Mekhman Guseinov to visit his seriously ill mother.

On August 2, an answer came from the Penitentiary Service, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by advocate Shakhla Gumbatova.

"While serving his sentence, convict Mekhman Rafig oglu Guseinov avoided participating in correctional activities. So, he did not participate in the social life of the penal colony, mass cultural events, and landscaping activities," advocate Shakhla Gumbatova quoted the letter from the Penitentiary Service as stating.

The head of the penal colony said that the sentenced blogger "unsatisfactory" treated work and failed to correct his behaviour. "It is considered inexpedient to provide Mekhman Rafig oglu Guseinov with a short-term leave," concluded the head of the penal colony.

The advocate does not agree with the arguments voiced by the Penitentiary Service. According to the advocate, in the case, the main criteria should be absence of earlier criminal records of Mekhman Guseinov, the article under which he was sentenced, and the lack of penalties.

Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the coordinator of the Centre for the Protection of Political Prisoners, also treats the arguments of the Penitentiary Service as ungrounded.

"The content of the response presented by the Penitentiary Service is written in the style of the Soviet era. And why do they mention his participation in 'the social life'? Refusal to meet his sick mother is not only an unjustified, but also an antihuman step," Ogtai Gyulyalyev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 3, 2018 at 02:13 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.