According to Ismayilova, her husband was taken to the Internal Affairs Ministry on 11 September. In the evening, he called and told her that he had been forcefully placed in a psychiatric hospital by the police.
Gurbanov had complained to state organizations and talked to the press about Sadarak Customs Department Head Mirmahammad Seyidov because he had demanded that Gurbanov pay an illegal additional sum for products he brought into the country in February. Food products in the amount of 300 AZN (approx. US$373) were confiscated, according to his wife.
Although the psychiatric hospital confirmed that Gurbanov had been placed there by the police, they did not allow anyone to visit him. Gurbanov shouted through the window bars of the hospital, "I was threatened in the Internal Affairs Ministry. They made me sign a document forcefully stating that I myself want to stay in the psychiatric hospital. Unless I am released in two days, I will commit suicide."
The Nakhchivan AR Internal Affairs Ministry did not respond to the IRFS correspondent’s questions regarding Gurbanov’s case.
