The human rights organization “Amnesty International’s” Russian branch has reported that a Chechen prisoner needs urgent medical treatment.

According to the report, a Chechen prisoner named Shamkhan Aziev, born in 1979, who is in custody in Krasnodar Kray, Russia, is suffering from tuberculous spondylitis (known as Pott’s disease). His condition is deteriorating day by day. He feels sharp pains and needs urgent treatment to prevent the further deterioration of his health.

In April 2011, the Russian human rights organization “Memorial” received information that Shamkhan Aziev, who at that time was in a prison in Chechnya, was seriously ill and in need of urgent surgery. Under pressure from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, in July 2011, Shamkhan Aziev was transferred to a prison hospital (MOTB UO 68/7) in the Krasnodar Kray. The prison hospital’s doctors confirmed his diagnosis and explained the need for immediate surgery. However, they argued that undertaking such an operation in their hospital would be impossible and suggested that the patient be transferred to another prison hospital in Voronezh. According to them, they could not provide special transportation and medical officers to accompany the patient. Fearing that he may not survive the transfer, Shamkhan Aziev refused treatment in Voronezh. After that, he was remanded to the prison in Krasnodar.

On August 14, Shamkhan Aziev’s lawyer lodged an application for parole on medical grounds. On August 25, the detention facility’s guidance notified him that Shamkhan Aziev would be sent back to the prison hospital for further medical examination, as it turned out that the hospital issued a medical certificate incorrectly. Because of this, this conclusion cannot be used in court. Without these documents, they also cannot submit an application for parole. However, on September 23, the prison hospital in Krasnodar refused to accept Aziev.

Recall that denial of medical treatment must be viewed as a form of torture or ill-treatment. The United Nation’s Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners provides that “Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals” (article 22/2).

Amnesty International calls on everyone to take action for Shamkan Aziev. You may write letters to demand medical treatment for the Chechen prisoner, to these addresses:

Chief of MOTB UO 68/7

ul.Demyana Bednogo 88, 352330 Ust-Labinsk, Ust-Labinsky rayon, Krasnodarskiy Kray – Russian Federation
Fax: +7 861 352 11 67
E-mail: motb@yandex.ru

Director of FSIN

Colonel Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Reimerov
Federalnaya Sluzhba Ispolneniya Nakazaniy
ul. Zhintnaya 14, GSP-1, 119991 Moskva – Russian Federation
Faks: +7 495 982 19 50

Chief of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Krasnodar Kray

Major General Yuri Pavlovich Kulikov
Upravlenie Federalnoy Sluzhby Ispolneniya Nakazaniy (UFSIN) po Krasnodarskomu Krayu
ul. Gorkogo 76, 350000 Krasnodar – Russian Federation
Faks: +7 861 219 99 12
E-mail: GUFSIN@rambler.ru; pressa_ufsin93@mail.ru

*Text was translated by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco