National Preventive Group of Ombudsman conducted visit to Baku Pre-Trial Detention Facility

Upon the instruction of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Elmira Suleymanova, Ombudsman’s National Preventive Group (NPG) against Torture conducted the next visit to Baku Pre-Trial Detention Facility of the Penitentiary Service under the Ministry of Justice without prior notice.

The visit was organized on the basis of the OPCAT and the Constitutional Law on the Ombudsman and was aimed at investigating the received appeals, detention conditions and treatment issues; monitoring the status of ensuring rights of accused persons in compliance with the internal disciplinary rules and international standards.

In this regard, numerous accused persons in the facility were received in a confidential manner to investigate the abovementioned, as well as the situation regarding guarantees for medical assistance, nutrition and other rights.

Within the framework of the visit, Azad Hasanov, who is detained in this investigative facility, was also received confidentially by the NPG members, his appeal was heard; as a result, he has ended his hunger strike.

The status of ensuring the rights of received persons, appeals and issues lodged by them were investigated on the site. Some persons expressed their dissatisfaction with the conduct of investigation of criminal cases and court decisions concerning them.

During the visit the rights of detainees were explained  to them, applications addressed to the Ombudsman were accepted. Legal advice was provided on the raised issues, and a number of appeals were ensured on the spot.

Moreover, the status of  implementing recommendations made during previous visits within the Commissioner’s National Preventive Mechanism activity were checked on site; discussions were held with the administration of the facility with regard to effectively ensuring the rights of detainees’, and corresponding recommendations were made.

Relevant authorized bodies will be addressed on the outcome of the visit and the received applications.