The parents of the imprisoned female journalists of Abzas Media say they are concerned by reports of violence against prisoners at the Lankaran Penitentiary Complex and fear for their daughters’ safety.

They say that, amid reports that the head of the prison beats inmates in his office, they cannot feel reassured about their daughters’ security.

“If others are being beaten in the head’s office, then we cannot feel confident about the safety of our daughters either. The head of the prison, Babek Isgandarov, takes female prisoners to his double-doored office and beats them there. If he personally commits violence, what behavior should we expect from his staff? Tomorrow he may act the same way toward our daughters. It does not matter who is being beaten there, they are also citizens of Azerbaijan. We demand that Babek Isgandarov be punished. Although our children are registered in Baku, they were sent to the Lankaran prison. Does this mean the government did this knowingly so that they would be under the authority of a violent head?” the journalists’ parents said.

The concerns follow an article written by the imprisoned female journalists of “Abzas Media” held at the Lankaran Penitentiary Complex, which described violence against prisoners in the facility.

According to the journalists, on January 24 the head of the complex, Babek Isgandarov, beat a female prisoner in his office. The information was reportedly shared with inmates by guard Ilkana Baghirova, who said the prisoner was dragged by the hair, kicked in the rib area, and subjected to degrading language. She and the head of the women’s unit, Zamin Aliyev, did not intervene, according to her account.

The article states that the next day the prisoner had bruises and swelling and later fainted in the yard due to pain. Her request for a medical examination was reportedly not fulfilled, and she is said to be still frequently taken to the head’s office and kept under pressure.

The journalists also alleged that male prisoners at the complex are subjected to beatings and torture. The relevant authorities have not yet commented on the claims.

The Lankaran Penitentiary Complex was opened in December 2024, and the women’s unit began operating on September 3, 2025. More than 1,000 male prisoners and over 20 female detainees and prisoners are currently held there.