Azerbaijan, Baku, 12 March / Trend corr. K.Zarbaliyeva / Changes will be made to legislation in order to improve living conditions for the life imprisoned, a source stated during a meeting held within the framework of the cooperation program of the Justice Ministry with the Council of Europe.
Nazim Alakparov, the deputy Justice Minister and chief of the Penitentiary Service stated the proposals to improve the standard of living of the life imprisoned.
The proposed changes to legislation are to improve the conditions of prisoners serving life, for them to meet with their families, to be permitted telephone calls, watch television programs and have the right to receive an education.
There are 236 prisoners serving life sentences in Azerbaijan. They are detained at Gobustan Prison and permitted a one-hour walk daily.
Working conditions and open-air walks will be provided for prisoners in a new building which will be constructed to Turkish, Finish and Estonian standards. The new building will be constructed in the Umbaku settlement near Baku, in a different area to the current prison in the Gobustan state reserve.
Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner of the Council of Europe for Human rights, produced a report on the state of human rights in Azerbaijan. This document shows anxiety with the current conditions for long-term prisoners, in particular those serving life imprisonment. The Commissioner made proposals for prisoners not to be isolated.
