Meeting was held with the Council of Europe delegation in Ombudsman Office

The Commissioner for Human Rights Elmira Suleymanova received the delegation of the Council of Europe (CoE) headed by Alexandre Guessel, the Director of Political Affairs Directorate, within his visit to the country. The aim of the visit was to get familiar with the status of implementing the commitments undertaken by Azerbaijan as a member of the CoE.

The Head of the CoE Office in Baku Zoltan Herneys and representatives of the CoE Secretariat also attended the meeting.

The Commissioner noted that the implementation of the mentioned commitments is not only for the cooperation with the CoE, but also for the interests of our state, democratization, ensuring human rights more reliably, establishing European values to the full extent in the country. She provided information about the commitment undertaken before the CoE to establish the Ombudsman institution of the country, its many-field activity directions and international relations. 

Furthermore, the signature and ratification of numerous significant CoE documents; improvement of the national legislation, including the adoption of new domestic legal acts; ensuring the right to submission of request to the Constitutional Court; the freedom of speech and improving the relevant situation in country were brought into attention.   

The cooperation of the Ombudsman institution with other international organizations, such as the UN bodies, EU, OSCE was also highlighted.

Regular discussions regarding the adoption of a range of international documents, ratification of Istanbul Convention by our country and legislation on media were mentioned.

The determination of the Ombudsman as an institution fulfilling National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) functions on ensuring the implementation of the OPCAT, the establishment of National Preventive Group (NPG) conducting regular visits to the places which persons can’t leave on their own will were noted . Cooperation of the Commissioner as the NPM with the UN and its Treaty Bodies, CoE, EU, OSCE, SPT, CPT, APT and other organizations was also emphasized.

The Order “On improving work in the penitentiary system, humanization of the punishment policy and expansion of alternative punishments and procedural enforcement measures not associated with isolation from society” signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on February 10, 2017, the newly signed Presidential Decree “On Intensifying Reforms in Judicial and Legal System” of April 3, 2019, as well as the Law on Mediation were noted as a new phase of reforms on effectively ensuring human rights.

The Ombudsman pointed out efficient cooperation with the Parliament, other state bodies and NGOs, the improvement of legislation, adoption of Law on Ensuring Rights and Freedoms of Persons Kept in Detention Places of the Republic of Azerbaijan and approval of internal disciplinary rules by considering those proposals.  

Regular monitoring of the National Action Program through public hearings held all over the country were highlighted.

Broad information was provided on legal awareness-raising activity in the capital and regions, including remote settlements, procedure on submitting complaints and their investigation, operative monitorings and on-site investigations of the Ombudsman’s regional centers, effective collaboration with the public for ensuring transparency, press releases disseminated through mass media and hotlines in the Office. Within the international cooperation, addressing alternative reports to corresponding authorities, organizing international Baku Conferences and other respected events, arranging series of events jointly with the UNICEF and other relevant organizations regarding the rights of children, refugees, IDPs, migrants, persons with disabilities and other groups were stated.

During the event, general state of human rights in the country, development of civil society, future directions of cooperation with the CoE, other issues and proposals of interest were also discussed.

At the end of the meeting, A. Guessel expressed his satisfaction to the Commissioner for providing detailed information and her proposals. He noted the CoE interest in future cooperation with the institution.