She has seen it all at this point. Intimidation, belittling, becoming a laughing stock, beatings and now fake medical examinations. We present you Leyla Yunus next letter from prison where she writes of her recent experience going through medical check up.
October 11, 2014
Public Prosecutor Investigators Office, judges and now doctors…
On October 10, 2014 around 12 o’clock, I was taken to a Medical Center of Kurdakhani pre-trial detention center and I was brought into the room full of people. Public Prosecutor of Sabunchi District Jeyhun Gumbatov – who already questioned me together with forensic medical examiner on September 26 regarding my beating by Major Yaqubov on September 23, 2014 – approached me. There were 11-12 strong tall men in the room along with the forensic medical examiner. Investigator Jeyhun Gumbatov told me these men were doctors, who arrived at the detention facility to examine me and write a medical report. None of these doctors introduced themselves, they didn’t tell me their names, last names, and which field specialists they were.
The ophthalmologist was first to examine me. He looked more like a heavyweight boxer to me. I have undergone two operations on both of my eyes. But within few minutes into his examination, the ophthalmologist in his ironic voice assured me everything was just great with my eyes. I realized that moment; the goal of this group examination was to write a “medical report” vouching for my stellar health record – as healthy as cosmonaut ready for cosmos. The following examination by the neuropathology doctor convinced me that I was absolutely right.
I told them loud and clear, that I was fully aware of the kind of medical report they were instructed to write. I told them they were not independent specialists – there are not so much independent specialists in the country anyway – and they were even “under the rank”.
I told them my lawyer appealed in writing to Public Prosecutor Office; so that an independent doctor would examine me and that we received an official refusal from the Public Prosecutor’s office. I told them I was ashamed that so many adult men were performing here a play. This angered them at once.
They started laughing and mocking me. Ophthalmologist started even threatening me that he will file a lawsuit against me. Only two of them stood aside, looking at the floor.
One of the men presented me test results of my urine, which were taken that same day at 9:30 in the morning. He said there were no abnormalities.
But it was the neuropathology doctor and psychiatrist in particular who verbally attacked me.
I could not stand it, and I started crying. None (!) of those doctors offered me an anti-anxiety, not even water. They continued convincing me loudly of their independence as doctors. Suddenly, I realized these doctors’ behavior was exactly the same as investigators at the Public Prosecutor’s office during interrogations. Public prosecutors were sarcastic about my innocence, accusing me in espionage, and these doctors were sarcastic when referring to my pains and illness…
I calmed down, and I told them name-by-name the persons who died in the result of tortures at medical institutions of Ministry of Justice, indicating these doctors hid the facts of tortures and falsified forensic medical examinations results. They started yelling at me again… I turned away from them and then they left…
Even the doctor taking care of me since my admission to Kurdakhani prison changed her attitude. When she brought in my medicine later that day, seeing me all bundled up in jackets and warm shawls, she teased me with an ironic smile “Still freezing, still being sick Yunusova?!”
I have seen prosecutors, judges who destroy people acting on orders and now I saw “doctors” as well.
Leyla Yunus
