11:13, 26 May 2004

Azerbaijan life termer sues prison warden

An unusual trial has started in the Garadagsky District Court of Azerbaijan. The subject matter of the trial is a convict's right to education secured by the Constitution.

Namik Veliyev, serving a life term in the Gobustan prison, has had a wish to get higher education in the field of international law since 2002. He tries to settle this question through his lawyer Elman Osmanov and envoy Eldar Zeynalov, director of the Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan.

The convict has faced with a ban on the part of the prison warden.

The fact itself that such a trial has begun indicates positive changes in the judicial system, Eldar Zeynalov said.

"The simple denial of the convict's request to continue education violated 8 international documents obligatory for Azerbaijan. In particular, Article 2 of the additional protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms reads that "no person shall be denied the right to education," Mr Zeynalov explained.

Source: Echo (Azerbaijan)