Azerbaijan union activist 'threatened and beaten' in prison

Elvin Mustafayev

The family of a jailed Azerbaijani trade unionist says he has been beaten and threatened with new charges after criticising the treatment of a fellow prisoner.

Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the independent Workers' Table Trade Unions Confederation, was allegedly assaulted by prison staff at Prison No. 17 before being transferred to a Baku detention facility.

His relatives told independent local media that the prison's regime chief, Samit Gafarov, threatened Mr Mustafayev with a new criminal case after he spoke out against the medical care of jailed opposition politician Tofig Yagublu.

They also alleged that on 9 May, a group of about 10 prison officers physically assaulted Mr Mustafayev and forcibly shaved his beard after he protested that the demand was illegal.

His family says the activist suffered bruising and neck injuries, worsening a pre-existing spinal condition. He has reportedly not yet been allowed a medical examination.

Azerbaijani authorities have not commented on the specific allegations. However, the country's Penitentiary Service has previously dismissed claims of physical abuse in correctional facilities as groundless.

Mr Mustafayev was arrested in August 2023 and sentenced to three years in prison in January 2024 on drug possession charges, which he denies as politically motivated. He has only two months remaining on his sentence, leading his family to fear that prison authorities are attempting to fabricate a new case to keep him detained.

The politician he defended, Mr Yagublu, is currently serving a nine-year sentence for fraud, which he calls fabricated. Rights groups say Mr Yagublu is unable to walk due to severe knee pain and has been denied proper medical assistance.

The Workers' Table Trade Unions Confederation was established in 2022 to defend labour rights in Azerbaijan.

Four of its members, including its chairman Afiaddin Mammadov, are currently behind bars on various charges. All maintain their innocence and say the prosecutions are politically motivated.

The Azerbaijani government denies holding political prisoners, insisting that individuals are only prosecuted for specific criminal acts.