Next visit of the NPM was conducted to Gobustan Prison

The National Preventive Group carried out its next visit to the prison of the Penitentiary service located in Gobustan without prior notice according to the instruction of the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan.

The visit was conducted in line with the UN OPCAT and the Constitutional Law on Ombudsman focused on evaluating custody condition and treatment, investigating received complaints, monitoring the state of ensuring the prisoners’ rights and process of proper documentation.

Throughout the visit, NPG monitored regime corps for life sentenced prisoners as well as prisoners serving half of their sentence based on judgment, penal isolator, medical-sanitary unit, visiting rooms, canteen and other facilities; the custody condition, healthcare service, nutrition, access to drinking cold and hot water, parcels, walking, visits and phone service as well as the documentation were evaluated; and quality of nutrition and custody condition in some regime corps cells and penal isolator were needed improvement.

There is a need to create modern psychiatric and social services in the prison facility and to rehabilitate persons subjected to determinate or life-imprisonment sentences by involving them to social work or provide prisoners with employment to earn salary for covering their basic needs.

During the visit, a large number of prisoners were privately interviewed in a view to investigate  the complaints received, issues they raised, the state of ensuring the rights, the documentation regarding applications, as well as the information disseminated in the media.

While monitoring cells some detainees have been met with at their own request, and issues raised by them, including complaints regarding ensuring their right to visiting, phone call, and healthcare were investigated; some requests were solved on spot. During the interviews prisoners were legally consulted on their rights, Ombudsman’s mandate and relevant requirements of legislation.  

At the end of visit, NPG gave legal advice to the facility administration and responsible prison staff and recommended to improve custody condition, quality of healthcare and documentation in line with national and international legislation as well as internal discipline.

The NPG requested the Ministry of Justice regarding to the outcome of the visit and securing the request of the prisoners.