Family alleges prison torture of jailed devout Muslim

The family of a jailed Azerbaijani devout Muslim has accused prison staff of beating him and withholding essential epilepsy medication following his transfer to a new facility.

Yusif Mirzayev, who is serving a 15-year sentence, was allegedly assaulted by four officers at Prison No. 7 after arriving there on 20 June, according to his family.

His family told that they observed visible injuries, including handcuff cuts on his wrists, bruising on his left ear, and marks on his throat and under his eyes, during a visit on 5 July.

"They beat him and tortured him on the very day he arrived," the family said.

They added that Mirzayev’s lawyer was blocked from visiting him for four days following the transfer, with prison authorities keeping the lawyer waiting for three hours before refusing entry.

Mirzayev, who suffers from epilepsy, has reportedly been denied his daily medication since his transfer, raising fears for his health.

According to his family, he is still being held in a quarantine unit even though his mandatory isolation period has expired. Other prisoners who arrived at the facility at the same time have reportedly been integrated into the general prison population.

The family said they have filed formal complaints with the Azerbaijani Penitentiary Service and the country's Human Rights Ombudsman, but have yet to receive a response.

Mirzayev was arrested on 19 April 2023, initially on drug possession charges.

After being held at the Baku Detention Center No. 1 and later by the State Security Service, his charges were upgraded to include treason, attempting to forcibly change the constitutional order, and planning an assassination.

In June 2025, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years and six months in prison.

Azerbaijan has faced persistent criticism from international human rights organisations over its treatment of religious activists and the alleged use of torture in its detention facilities. Government officials routinely deny these allegations, maintaining that prisoners are treated in accordance with domestic law and international standards.