"I have stopped my political activity, and I have decided to work on human rights. There are a number of problems yet to be solved in the prisons, country-wide," said former political prisoner Ruslan Bashirli at today's press conference.
He announced the establishment of a new human rights organization, Civil Right Support. The NGO will monitor prisons, conditions of prisoners of conscience, protection of property rights, and so on.
"After my release from prison some people asked me to engage in radical politics. There were foreign embassies among them, but I refused, because I made decision while I was in prison to leave politics," said Bashirli.
Ruslan Bashirli was arrested in 2005 and sentenced to 7 years in jail under Article 278 (violent capture of power). He was pardoned on March 2012 from serving the remaining 6 months of his term. "I had requested a pardon. This is permitted by law, and I haven't done anything illegal," said Bashirli.
To the question "have there been any positive changes since Madat Guliyev was appointed the head of Penitentiary Service?" his answer was yes.
"In the prison #1, where I served my term, the sport hall and toilets have been repaired, and TV sets have been installed. Physical measures used against prisoners have been replaced with psychological ones. For diabetes sufferers, there are special new rules," he said.
Video Description: RUSLAN BASHIRLI FOUNDS CIVIL RIGHT SUPPORT NGO
