Ulviya Ali complained about the lack of quality medical care in the pretrial detention center.
Despite numerous requests and the presence of serious chronic illnesses, the pretrial detention center refuses to conduct the necessary examinations, limiting herself to formal examinations, stated journalist Ulviya Ali, assessing such actions as politically motivated pressure.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in February, Ulviya Ali faced threats against her loved ones in Baku Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 after AI-generated audio recordings of pressure against her in the pretrial detention center and during her trial were published on social media.
Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva) was questioned as a witness in the Meydan TV case in January 2025, after which she was banned from leaving Azerbaijan. In May of that year, she was detained and arrested as a defendant. She denied the smuggling charge and insisted that she did not cooperate with Meydan TV. Ali was taken to the detention center after being beaten by security forces, where her condition worsened significantly.
Ulviya Ali has been unable to obtain the necessary examinations for almost a year
Journalist Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva), arrested in the Meydan TV case, stated that she has been deprived of quality medical care in prison for over a year, which the journalist regards as politically motivated pressure.
“Since my arrest on May 6, 2025, I have repeatedly requested quality medical care and examinations, but my complaints have remained unanswered in most cases,” Guliyeva said in an appeal to the media, received by a Caucasian Knot correspondent from relatives of the journalist.
According to Ulviya Ali, in the first months after her arrest, her lawyer contacted the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan with a request to conduct MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computer tomography) examinations in connection with previously discovered She has a tumor in her head.
However, in response, a letter was received from the Medical and Sanitary Unit of Baku Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 1 stating that Ulviye Ali "was examined by a neurologist and no serious pathology was found."
"Back in 2017, I was diagnosed with a 4 mm microadenoma in the left lobe of the anterior pituitary gland. From then until my arrest, I underwent MRI and CT scans annually, as recommended by my doctor. In addition, I have suffered from insulin resistance, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypoglycemia, and elevated white blood cell counts for many years. I have also been diagnosed with stage II fatty liver disease, crystals in my kidneys, cardiac tachycardia, and an enlarged thyroid gland," Ulviye Ali continues.
Since her arrest as a result of police violence, she has periodically experienced dull headaches, dizziness, and "Darkening of vision," the journalist further notes.
"Due to severe stress, I developed stomach cramps and a gag reflex. The doctor who is supposed to evaluate my illnesses is not a neurologist. It's like an ophthalmologist examining a patient with kidney pain and giving a conclusion," emphasizes Ulviya Ali.
She notes that due to her health problems and a request for assistance in obtaining a medical examination, she contacted representatives of the Azerbaijani Ombudsman during their visits to the detention center. She attached medical reports and diagnoses to all her requests.
It was only on April 1, 2026, that Ulviya Ali received a response to one of her requests to the Ombudsman.
"It stated that the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice responded to the Ombudsman's request, which stated that 'Ulviya Guliyeva's health is under observation, and conditions for additional examinations can only be created with the consent of the investigation,'" the journalist continues.
According to Ulviya Ali, she undergoes certain blood tests every three months in the medical unit of Baku Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1, based on which the journalist's doctor adjusts her treatment. However, the journalist adds, this is not enough for a full diagnosis.
Moreover, as Ulviya Ali notes, the pretrial detention center's medical unit has been without an ultrasound specialist since last summer. "Once every three to four months, an ultrasound specialist from the Ministry of Justice's Main Medical Department comes and examines prisoners who need it. But for my illnesses, this is not enough, as I require MRI and CT scans. However, the pretrial detention center does not have the equipment to perform MRI and CT scans. Therefore, I am asking for the necessary facilities to be provided for examinations at a civilian hospital at my expense. "The law doesn't prohibit this—on the contrary, the state is obligated to ensure access to quality medical care," emphasizes Ulviya Ali.
She filed a petition for a medical examination with the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on February 20, 2026, but since then, hearings on the Meydan TV case have only been held twice—on March 13 and April 3.
According to the journalist, the court has responded vaguely to her lawyer's petitions—"the request has been sent," without specifying the addressee.
"This may seem like a short time to some, but I have been deprived of quality medical care since 2025, and my concerns are justified. "The state has been dragging out the process for a year now," Ali notes.
The state is responsible for the health and lives of those arrested
A Baku lawyer specializing in human rights issues, in a conversation with a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, noted that the state is responsible for the health and lives of those arrested.
"The recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) of the Council of Europe on health care in prisons indicate that prisoners should have the same access to health services as people in the outside world. Paragraph 36 of the 3rd General Report of the CPT emphasizes that it is necessary to ensure full access to hospital services for prisoners," the expert said on condition of anonymity.
Furthermore, he continued, the provision of high-quality medical care to prisoners is also mentioned in the documents UN.
"According to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), the State is responsible for the health of prisoners and has an obligation to provide medical care comparable to that available in civilian society. The Constitution of Azerbaijan also guarantees everyone's right to medical care - Article 41.1," the lawyer said.
Ali indicated a political motive in refusing a full examination
However, as Ulviya Ali writes, in the Azerbaijani government's response to the UN Special Rapporteurs' request for her case, her "medical problems were effectively ignored and reduced to a neurologist's examination."
"Obviously, my illnesses are not related to neurology, but the answer was formulated exactly that way," writes Ulviya Ali.
She regards the creation of conditions for her to undergo a full examination in a civilian clinic as "political "revenge."
"Other political prisoners with serious illnesses are also deprived of quality medical care: Aynur Elgunesh, Shamshad Agha, Ahmed Mammadli, Polad Aslanov, Farid Ismayilov, Alesker Mammadli, Ruslan Izzetli, Afiyaddin Mammadov, and many others," Ali points out.
The Penitentiary Service and the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan could not be reached for comment.
Dozens of journalists have been persecuted in Azerbaijan
The Meydan TV case was opened in December 2024, when six journalists were detained and later arrested on charges of currency smuggling. They linked the criminal case to their professional activities. By August 2025, 11 people had been arrested in the Meydan TV case. At the end of August, it was announced that the investigation had been completed, and a 12th suspect, photojournalist Ahmed Mukhtar, had appeared in the case. At the same time, the arrested journalists were charged with seven more criminal offenses. .
Those arrested in the Meydan TV case were persecuted on the orders of the Azerbaijani leadership for their journalistic activities, said one of the defendants, Shamshad Aga. "You have neither the authority nor the courage to make arbitrary decisions in any process controlled by [the country's president] Ilham Aliyev. In these processes, the investigator, the prosecutor, and the judge are Ilham Aliyev," he told the court.
Journalists from other media outlets, including Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Kanal-13, have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. On June 20, journalists and employees of Abzas Media weresentenced to prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. In court, they denied the charges, emphasizing that they were being persecuted for their professional activities and for investigating corruption.
The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest point in 2024 since the country's 23-year membership in the Council of Europe, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Key Points on the Record Number of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan." At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the existence of political prisoners in the country.
Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/422786
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