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Press conference held in connection with health problems of imprisoned journalist

04 December 2009 12:07 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramil Mammadli, Hafiz Heydarov â€“ APA. Press conference has been held in connection with the health problems of Mushfig Huseynov, the imprisoned correspondent of the Bizim yol newspaper, APA reports. The journalistâ€™s father Tofig Huseynov said his sonâ€™s health problems might be fatal. He said Huseynov suffered from tuberculosis, but the leadership of the Penitentiary Service, chief of medical department of Justice Ministry Rafael Mehdiyev claimed that Mushfig had no health problems.
â€œMushfig Huseynov is held in the medical unit of the Justice Ministry. But we are not satisfied with his treatment. His disease has been ignored in the jail within two years,â€ he said.

Huseynovâ€™s sister Dilbar Gasimova said her brother was in critical condition.
â€œI ask the human rights defenders to help release him. He can not be treated in jail. He has two children, his family is renting a house. His elder son is a disabled person,â€ she said. Gasimova said they would appeal to President for the release of her brother.

Head of the Institute of Reportersâ€™ Freedom and Security Emin Huseynov also called the human rights defenders to concern themselves with the fate of Mushfig Huseynov.

Huseynov was charged with article 311.1 (bribery) of the Criminal Code. He was accused in demanding bribe from the official of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection Rizvan Aliyev for not to publish compromising materials about the ministry officials in his â€œBizim Yolâ€ newspaper. He was detained by the Ministry of National Security on July 24, 2007 and sentenced by the Court of Grave Crimes on January 21, 2008 for 6 years of imprisonment.

Spokesman for the Justice Ministry Penitentiary Service Mehman Sadigov denied ideas of Huseynovâ€™s relatives. He told APA that Huseynov suffered from tuberculosis before his imprisonment and is under the regular doctorâ€™s control in jail. He is undergoing treatment within the Dots Program sponsored by the International Committee of the Red Cross.