Azerbaijani Police Commit Elderly Protester To Psychiatric Hospital

Elvin Huseynov and his mother, Khanimzar Ismayilova, in front of a psychiatric hospital in Naxcivan, where Ismayil Huseynov has been committed against his will.

Police in the Azerbaijani exclave of Naxcivan have committed 72-year-old Ismayil Huseynov to a psychiatric hospital for protesting police actions against his son, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

Huseynov had been missing since January 5 when he was taken with his wife, Khanimzar, to the Internal Affairs Ministry for interrogation.

The chief doctor of the hospital told RFE/RL that Huseynov has not been diagnosed.

A source in the hospital says Huseynov is sleeping all day after being given injections. His family has not been allowed to see him.

The family's problems began when their son, Elvin, and some other teenagers were detained and charged with turning off the lights of Christmas trees in the Sadarak district of Naxcivan on December 26.

Police released the teenagers the same day after allegedly beating them and shaving their heads.