Holiday Card Action 2008

AZERBAIJAN – Ruslan Bessonov

Ruslan Bessonov © Private

Three teenagers--Ruslan Bessonov, Maksim Genashilkin and Dmitri Pavlov--have been detained since March 2005, charged with murdering another teenager. All three boys allege they were tortured and ill-treated to force them to sign confessions.

Ruslan Bessonov stated that police investigators punched him and beat him with truncheons on his head and body. He said they hung him up by his legs, sat on his chest and stomped on his fingers. They allegedly threatened to tear out his fingernails, slam his genitals in a door, kill his mother, and give him electric shocks. The other two teenagers alleged similar threats and beatings. All claim they were forced to sign confessions incriminating each other in the murder of Vusal Zeynalov. They all maintain they did not commit the murder, and they each have an alibi for that time.

Some observers believe the boys may have been targeted because of their Russian ethnicity and other reasons. Their lawyer has said, "These boys were singled out (as scapegoats) because they were not of ethnic Azeri origin, two of them didn't have fathers, they were low-income households and so these were vulnerable families with no one from 'above' to protect them."

Following an unfair trial, a court sentenced the three teenagers in June 2007 to 10 years' imprisonment in a strict regime prison. In June 2008, the 10-year sentence was upheld by an appeal court following another trial that also failed to meet international standards. Amnesty International is pressing the authorities to investigate the allegations that the boys were tortured and that evidence was fabricated to convict them.

If you wish to send a message in Russian, you might say: "Nashi mysli o vas v eto trudnoe vremya, s nailuchshimi pojelaniyami." which means "Thinking of you at this time, with best wishes."

Please send cards of support to:
Address for Ruslan Bessonov and Maksim Genashilkin:

Ruslanu Bessonovu [or] Maksimu Genashilkinu
Koloniya No.13
Karadakhski rayon
gorod Baku
AZERBAIJAN

Address for Dmitry Pavlov

Dmitriu Pavlovu
Koloniya No. 6
poselok Beyuk-Shor
gorod Baku
AZERBAIJAN