All special police officers were accused of attempting the coup, even though only about 200 participated in the uprising. Of the approximately 1,000 special police officers originally detained, about 500 remain in custody. Up to 300 were released shortly after their arrests, some paid bribes to obtain their freedom, and others were released under an amnesty. They were researching the idea of one mutual Eurasia space, but were accused of acting against the government. Also, during these inquiries, investigators at the Ministry of National Security started, for the first time, engaging in torture.
Political prisoners are subject to numerous human rights violations while in custody.
Unlawful methods employed by officials include torture, threats, and delayed correspondence between relatives. As a result, the guilty and non-guilty remain in prison. Arzu Abdullayeva is a human rights activist in Azerbaijan. The Central Eurasia Project aims, through its website, meetings, papers, and grants, to foster a more informed debate about the social, politcal and economic developments of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a program of the Open Society Institute-New York.