National Preventive Group continues monitoring in penitentiary institutions

National Preventive Group (NPG) against torture conducts visits to the places which persons can’t leave on their own will within the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism activity of the Ombudsman and investigates detention conditions, treatment issues, food provision, medical assistance organization in those facilities.

The next visit was conducted to the Medical Treatment Facility of the Penitentiary Service under the Ministry of Justice without prior notification.

The purpose of the monitoring organized on the basis of the requirements of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Constitutional Law on the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was to investigate the detention conditions and treatment in the facility, appeals related to the medical assistance issues, learning the status of ensuring the rights of the prisoners and the adequate documentation.

During the monitoring in which the physician member of the NPG also participated, review regarding detention conditions was conducted at all the treatment buildings of the facility, penalty isolator, meeting places, canteen and other parts, as well as the organization of medical assistance, nutrition, supply of hot and cold drinking water, current situation with parcels, meeting, phone conversations and the documentation were investigated.

Numerous prisoners were received in private by the NPG members, their appeals were considered and the raised issues were investigated on site.

Some of the received persons expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of the medical assistance and therapy issues.