VISIT TO JAILED JOURNALIST SAKIT ZAHIDOV

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 001038

SIPDIS

EUR/CARC AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: VISIT TO JAILED JOURNALIST SAKIT ZAHIDOV

REF: 2006 BAKU 1606

Classified By: Political Economic Counselor Rob Garverick,
for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 27 Embassy official visited
jailed journalist Sakit Zahidov in prison colony #14 south of
Baku along with representatives from the OSCE, and French and
Norwegian Embassies. Zahidov, who is serving a sentence for
drug possession stemming from a 2006 arrest that many
observers believe was engineered to punish him for his
journalistic activities (reftel),is one of three prominent
journalists in Azerbaijani prisons, the others being his
brother Ganimat and Eynulla Fatullayev. He was allegedly
beaten by prison guards on October 18, and the visit
confirmed that he was in fact wounded. At the end of the
visit, prison officials announced that Zahidov will be
transferred to another prison, although it is not clear where
or when. Zahidov is likely to suffer mistreatment at any
other prison as well, and the transfer is unlikely to reduce
the scrutiny this case and those of the other imprisoned
journalists are receiving from international and domestic
observers. END SUMMARY

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY VISIT TO ZAHIDOV
--------------


2. (SBU) Family members Sakit Zahidov publicly alleged that
prison guards beat the jailed journalist October 18 for
refusing to have his hair cut upon his return to the prison
from a medical treatment facility. A large group of domestic
human rights defenders, following the disclosure, met with
the Minister of Justice on October 21 regarding this
incident. The Minister at that time promised to have Zahidov
transferred to a different prison, but to date he has not
been moved.


3. (C) On October 27 Embassy official accompanied
representatives of the OSCE Office in Azerbaijan and the
French and Norwegian Embassies to visit Zahidov at prison
colony #14. The delegation was greeted by the head of the
Discipline Division of the State Penitentiary Service and the
prison administrator. The Discipline Division official
explained that all prisoners are required to have their hair
cut upon transfer from medical treatment. The eleven other
prisoners transferred with Zahidov did not complain. He did
not admit that any physical harm had been done to Zahidov,
but said that they were investigating whether he could be
transferred to a different prison. The official further
explained that Zahidov often breaks prison rules, but the
guards usually give him softer punishments than required.


4. (C) The delegation then met in a private room with
Zahidov. Zahidov explained that his family had received
threatening phone calls while he was in medical treatment,
saying that upon his return to prison Zahidov would have
trouble. Upon return to prison on October 18, Zahidov
refused to have his hair cut, as it had just been cut in the
hospital and his family was due to visit him the day after
his transfer for his birthday. Zahidov explained that after
his refusal the guards handcuffed him and squeezed his hands,
which had been broken in a previous incident. When Zahidov
complained, the guards, led by a Major Ali Nisami, beat him
repeatedly. The guards then put him in an isolation room.
Zahidov showed the delegation a wound on his side, which
looked about a week old. Zahidov claimed he had further
wounds still healing on his upper legs.


5. (C) Contrary to the claims of the prison officials,
Zahidov stated that he is treated worse than the other 690
inmates of prison colony #14. In addition, his family
suffers periodic harassment by government officials. Zahidov
believes the GOAJ is trying to break him in order to change
his views. Therefore, Zahidov, who has already served more
than two-thirds of his three year sentence, stated he refuses
to ask for a pardon, as this requires admitting that he is
guilty, which he refuses to do. He also refuses to ask for
early release, which is allowed once a prisoner has completed
two-thirds of his/her sentence, because he says this involves
paying a bribe of around 1,500 manats (1,830 USD). Zahidov
finished by thanking the delegation for the visit, saying
that there are people who want to bring democracy to
Azerbaijan.


6. (C) After the talk with Zahidov, the prison officials
brought the delegation into another office, and announced
that it had just been decided that Zahidov should be moved to
another prison for his own safety. When asked where Zahidov
would be moved to, the State Penitentiary Service official
stated that he did not know, but another official offered
that he would be moved into Baku city. They also said he
would leave in the first available car, but did not know when
that would be.

PRISON CONDITIONS
--------------


7. (C) Prison colony #14 is designated for minor criminals,
who are serving sentences of up to seven years, according to
prison officials. Security was minimal compared to American
standards, although the prison is miles from any other
installation. Prisoners seem to sleep in dormitories, but
are not allowed to be in them between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Therefore most of the 690 inmates appeared to be left outside
during the day, despite the cool weather. It was cold even
inside the prison buildings, as the buildings were old and
drafty, without any heating system. The desk of the prison
administrator was covered in papers showing prisoners names
on hand-written charts* there is clearly no computerized
control over who resides in the prison. This administrative
backwardness may explain the difficulty prison officials had
in naming a time and place for Zahidov's transfer.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) Azerbaijan's senior leadership repeatedly suggested
to us during the election campaign that Azerbaijan's three
well-known jailed journalists would be released soon after
the presidential election. Thus far, that has not happened.
This case, which received much publicity in the opposition
press, further muddies the waters for Azerbaijan among
international human rights observers. The prison visit
revealed that Zahidov may in fact be demanding special
treatment, which he believes he deserves given his status as
a famous journalist, and which the prison officials do not
want to provide. Prison officials are also nervous about the
fact that Zahidov continues to write while in prison, and
somehow manages to get his stories out of the prison and have
them published. Even if transferred, Zahidov will likely
face similar treatment in another prison. With increasing
attention put on these cases from domestic and international
audiences, it is important that the GOAJ release Zahidov and
the other imprisoned journalists to demonstrate the
President's commitment to improving the human rights
situation in Azerbaijan in his second term. The Embassy will
continue to press for the release of the release of the
jailed journalists. End comment.
DERSE