Azerbaijan's Detention Centers Under Scrutiny: Abzas Media Journalists Detail Dire Conditions Amidst Millions in State Funding

Imprisoned journalists from "Abzas Media" are shedding light on the alarming conditions within the Baku Investigative Detention Center, raising serious questions about the allocation of millions of manats from the state budget to the Penitentiary Service. Their reports from behind bars detail a stark reality of inadequate facilities, arbitrary denials of basic necessities, and a pervasive lack of accountability.

The "Abzas Media" journalists, including director Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinc Vagifgizi, investigative journalist Hafiz Babali, "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty" journalist and economist Farid Mehralizade, and journalists Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova, along with coordinator Mahammad Kekalov, were sentenced on June 20 at the Baku Grave Crimes Court to lengthy prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. They were initially accused of charges including smuggling, but the arrested individuals vehemently deny these accusations, asserting that their imprisonment is a direct consequence of their professional journalistic activities.

It is against this backdrop that the "Abzas Media" staff, including Sevinc Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, and Elnara Gasimova, have begun investigating how the substantial state funds allocated to the Penitentiary Service are being utilized. This year alone, the Penitentiary Service received 196,864,793 manats from the state budget. Over the last five years, a staggering 837 million manats have been allocated, intended, in part, for the nutrition and normal living conditions of inmates. However, the journalists' findings paint a grim picture that contradicts this significant investment.

The reports from the women's wing of the Baku Investigative Detention Center reveal a critical shortage of basic amenities, particularly during the harsh summer months:

Refrigeration Crisis: For the 153 women in the wing, only nine refrigerators are available for storing food and water. Inmates are forced to rely on their families for quality food due to the poor provisions from the detention center. These personal food items, brought during weekly visits, are often piled up and crushed, with refrigerator doors barely able to close. Many of the refrigerators are old, dilapidated Soviet-era units, four of which bear clear signs of decay, and one is completely non-functional. They frequently break down, leading to widespread food spoilage and frequent disputes between inmates and inmate-workers tasked with managing the limited space. Deputy head Ahad Abdiyev's proposed "solution" – injecting gas into the old refrigerators – offers little reassurance, with no guarantees against further breakdowns.

Scarcity of Cool-Air Fans: Despite the sweltering heat, cool-air fans are not adequately provided according to the number of detainees. Inmates are often forced to purchase their own fans or rely on those left behind by former prisoners. Examples abound: Cell 41, housing 11 people, has only 3 fans, all inmate-purchased. Cell 71, designed for 10, holds 12 people, with two sleeping on the floor, and its 3 fans were all bought by the inmates. Even when a supervisor inquired about "fans," it was only to repair old, broken units, dashing hopes for new provisions. The detention center, allegedly built with corruption, lacks a proper ventilation and cooling system, making fans essential for survival. Breathing becomes difficult in rooms exposed to direct sun from 11 AM to 5 PM, severely impacting inmates with pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems, who also lack access to qualified medical professionals.

Inadequate Water and Hygiene: Access to water is severely restricted. Cold water, provided for 3 hours daily in winter, is cut to just 2 hours in summer, primarily used for filling containers that consume valuable space in already cramped cells. The water itself is unfit for drinking, smelling strongly of chlorine, and inmates are unaware of the last time the water tanks were cleaned. Hot water is a luxury, available only twice a week for a total of five hours. In cells holding 10 to 12 women, inmates are forced to shower two-by-two to manage within the limited timeframe. Water temperature is erratic, either scalding hot or freezing cold. Some cells lack proper shower systems, forcing inmates to wash under taps or with small cups. Essential bathing equipment is scarce, and most inmates are denied water heaters, resorting to boiling water in electric kettles that frequently break down and must be replaced at their own expense. Another desperate measure involves heating 20-liter water containers in the sun, leading to back pain from constant hauling. Cleaning supplies are also not provided, leaving inmates reliant on their families.

Sevinc Vagifgizi's personal struggle to receive a fan brought by her family highlights the arbitrary nature of the administration. Deputy head Ahad Abdiyev reportedly told her that the fan was denied because "that's how our heart desires," and that it was a "matter of principle." He even suggested his "heart had recently desired illegal things."

Vagifgizi challenged this, questioning, "Why should the head be principled with a prisoner? What principle should he uphold?" When Abdiyev offered to provide a fan at the detention center's expense, Vagifgizi vehemently refused, demanding only that her family's fan be allowed, as it is not a prohibited item.

Her powerful statement to Abdiyev encapsulates her resolve: "If I had compromised my rights to anyone, I wouldn't be in prison right now. And I won't take any fan from you. There are 153 female inmates here. This summer, not a single fan has been given to any of them yet. How is it that the head comes and wants to give a fan only to me? I don't need this. All the cells are like hell, everyone is baking in the heat. No one is given a fan at the institution's expense, only me? This is the state budget, not your personal budget. If fans are to be given, they should be given to everyone, not just me. When all 153 women here are given fans, then I will take one too." She explicitly stated her opposition to discrimination against other inmates.

When women in the detention center request normal ventilation, refrigerators, and more daily water, the standard response from administrators is dismissive: "This is a detention center, not a recreation center." This response starkly contrasts with the substantial public funds allocated for inmate welfare.

The "Abzas Media" journalists' reports strongly suggest that an audit by the Chamber of Accounts into the Penitentiary Service's facilities is urgently needed. Such an audit, they contend, would reveal "whose recreation the funds intended for inmates were spent on." Efforts to obtain comments from the Penitentiary Service or the Ombudsman's Office regarding these matters have been unsuccessful.

The conditions described by the "Abzas Media" journalists underscore a critical lack of transparency and accountability in the management of state funds intended for the welfare of detainees, highlighting a pressing human rights concern within Azerbaijan's detention system.