Azerbaijani activist accuses prison deputy of brutal abuse

Ramil Babayev

An imprisoned Azerbaijani activist has accused a Baku detention centre's deputy head of brutal torture, systemic abuse of power, and using "smart cameras" to cover up beatings.

Ramil Babayev, a member of the independent Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI), smuggled a letter out of the Baku Detention Facility detailing severe allegations against the deputy head, Javid Gulaliyev.

Babayev, who is currently detained as part of a wider state crackdown on the independent news outlet Toplum TV, alleged that Gulaliyev told him "I am the state father, my word is law" during a medical dispute.

In the letter, which was published by the IDI, Babayev claimed a senior prison official admitted to him that security cameras in the facility are "smart" and "stop recording when they see someone being beaten".

Among the most severe claims is an incident where Gulaliyev allegedly beat an unnamed prisoner and left them handcuffed to the concrete floor of a punishment cell.

Babayev also claimed that Gulaliyev used a rubber baton to beat a group of Pakistani nationals who had protested against overcrowding in their cell, which reportedly held 16 people despite being designed for eight.

When Babayev went on a hunger strike, he claims Gulaliyev tried to force him to stop by threatening to fire a prison guard who had shown the activist "humane treatment".

Babayev said he wrote a formal complaint to the temporary head of the facility, Jeyhun Hajiyev, warning he would escalate the issue to the Ministry of Justice, which eventually halted the pressure.

The activist also detailed an incident from 13 July 2025, when he was suffering from a high fever and swollen throat. He said Gulaliyev rejected his request to be moved to the medical unit, threw the paperwork at him, and ordered guards to drag him back to his cell.

Javid Gulaliyev's unlawful behaviour is public knowledge among all the accused in this prison," Babayev wrote, adding that he has no personal grudge but felt compelled to speak out for defenceless inmates.

The activist criticised the head of the Penitentiary Service, Major General Mirsaleh Seyidov, accusing the leadership of promoting Gulaliyev instead of investigating the torture allegations.

The Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service has not yet responded to requests for comment on the allegations.