Legal awareness raising activities are underway as part of the Ombudsman's National Preventive Mechanism activity

At the initiative of the Commissioner for Human rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, the cooperation and activities aimed at legal capacity building are underway within the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for training law enforcement bodies, including the Academy of Justice under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Within the framework of this activity, the next lectures were on the topics “The role of the Ombudsman in the protection of human rights” and “The activity of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan as the National Preventive Mechanism” and addressed the candidates for judges who attend the initial long-term training courses at the Academy of Justice. The lectures were delivered by the head of a Department of the Ombudsman Office and the National Preventive Group, Rashid Rumzada.

The audience was informed about the designation of the country Ombudsman as the institution fulfilling the NPM functions in order to prevent human rights violations, to restore violated rights, as well as to ensure the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) regular visits to institutions which persons cannot leave on their own will, recommendations and information on their implementation by bringing examples  from the national and international legislation, also the experience of local, foreign and international organizations.

The Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“Istanbul Protocol”) which is the OHCHR’s document on effective investigation of ill-treatment and punishment, SPT recommendations and the standards included in the general reports of the CPT, as well as concrete provisions of national legislative acts were taught.

The Ombudsman’s activity in the field of human rights protection, including the NPM activities, was well received by the audience, and numerous questions of candidates for judges were answered in detail.