Azerbaijani journalist complains about torture after detention

In Baku, law enforcers kept journalist Ismail Islamoglu for three days and did not recognize the fact of detention, an advocate reported. Ismail Islamoglu himself complained that he had been tortured. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the journalist was not brought to a police station until his bride filed a complaint about his disappearance.

On social networks, the disappearance of Ismail Islamoglu was reported on October 26. On that day, the journalist left the office, but did not reach home, his colleagues, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by employees of the "Kanal-13" online TV Channel.

At night on October 30, the journalist published a video message on Facebook. He stated that two people in civilian clothes had detained him and taken him to a police station in Baku.

"I was insulted and beaten. My whole body aches ... They put on my head a plastic bag earlier used to carry tangerines, and they forced me to keep standing for several hours. They threatened not only me, but also my relatives, and then they ordered me to stop criticizing the authorities," stated Ismail Islamoglu.

He demanded from the MIA to investigate the incident as a case of kidnapping.

Ismail Islamoglu actively criticized the authorities in social networks and his disappearance was not the first case of "detention of journalists and users of social networks" that occurred recently, said Ogtai Gyulyalyev, a coordinator of the Centre for the Protection of Political Prisoners.

The Ismail Islamoglu's posts could become the reason for his detention, believes Ganimat Zakhid, the head of the "Turan" opposition TV Channel.