They were detained during recent mass demonstrations in South Azerbaijan. South Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement bureau in Baku told the APA the detainees have contracted infectious throat disease due to bad conditions in the prison.

A relative of one of the detainees said at least 15 Azerbaijani detainees in Ardabil prison have contracted this deadly virus. However, the prison authorities do not take any actions to treat the sick detainees. They are in critical condition now, and if not prevented, the virus will spread in large-scale.