Ali Zeynal, a detained member of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and one of the defendants in the “Toplum TV case”, has addressed an open letter to Azerbaijan’s Minister of Justice, Farid Ahmadov. In his letter, Zeynal denounces unsanitary conditions, official negligence, and retaliation at Baku Detention Facility No. 1 (Kurdakhani Prison), where he is currently being held.
He claims that prison officials, including the warden Elnur Ismayilov and his deputies, routinely ignore complaints and fail to act on reports of poor conditions. Zeynal also reveals that ahead of a formal inspection by the Justice Ministry’s commission, the prison authorities staged a clean-up of a single renovated cell (Cell 12), while the surrounding cells, such as Cell 19, remain in filthy, rat-infested conditions with leaking sewage contaminating personal items and food.
“If the inspectors had seen Cell 19 instead, they would have found cockroaches, rats crawling from under the floorboards, and sewage ruining our belongings,” Zeynal wrote. “It’s the inspectors who need inspecting.”
He also describes being placed in solitary confinement after complaining about poor air circulation in the prison transport van en route to a court hearing on April 24. He alleges that a fabricated report claims he assaulted officers while handcuffed—something he says is physically impossible and entirely unproven.
“I was dragged back and forth by 7–8 officers with my hands shackled. Then they accused me of assaulting them. I have never even seen the official complaint.”
The Justice Ministry’s Penitentiary Service has stated that the allegations will be investigated.
The “Toplum TV case” now includes 10 accused individuals, most of them journalists, civil society activists, and opposition figures. Several, including Elşad Məmmədli, Müşfiq Cabbar, Akif Qurbanov, and Ali Zeynal, remain in detention under escalated charges, including money laundering, illegal entrepreneurship, and tax evasion.
All detainees deny the charges, describing the case as politically motivated and intended to silence independent voices.
Azərbaycan dili 
English (UK)