Zamin Salayev, an arrested activist of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), has allegedly been tortured. His son Ogtay Salayev reported the alleged torture after visiting his father in the detention center where he is being held.
“My father said he was beaten by about 10-15 people in the center. As a result, he now has a hernia. The doctor affiliated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs Hospital said he needed surgery, but it was not allowed. My father has not been taken anywhere else for examination, but he told me his health is now much better.”
On 24 January, the Ombudsman's Office officials also visited Salayev in the detention center.
According to the Turan news agency, the officials listened to Salayev's appeal. “Under the ombudsman's initiative Salayev was gone through a medical treatment, his health situation is normal,” the Ombudsman office said in a statement adding an investigation into is his arrest is underway. “As always, we will provide necessary support and will take necessary measures that are within our authority.”
The same day, a group of activists held a rally in central Baku demanding Salayev's release.
The rally attracted dozens of protesters who urged for the end of police torture and held up photos of Salayev.
The rally attendants also called for the resignation of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Vilayat Eyvazov, according to RFE/RL Azerbaijani Service.
Police forces were deployed to the scene to scatter the protesters from what they called an unauthorized rally.
No one was detained during the protest.
Zamin Salayev was detained on 13 January along with two other APFP activists, Nijat Abdullazada and Jeyhun Novruzov. They are accused of minor hooliganism and were fined 50 AZN (29 USD) each, the police statement reads.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Salayev was arrested because he avoided to obey the lawful demands of police officers while attempting to disrupt public order in the Sabayil district of Baku. The ministry also rejects the allegations of torture in the detention center.
APFP claims Salayev's arrest is political motivated. Some claim that Salayev was arrested because he shared a video of a police officer attacking a woman in the province of Salyan and a video of his conversation with the police.
