“Respublika” (Republic) Daily Newspaper published the Ombudsman’s Article entitled “The National Leader Heydar Aliyev and Human Rights”

“Respublika” (Republic) daily newspaper published an article entitled “The National Leader Heydar Aliyev and Human Rights” by Sabina Aliyeva, the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan.  

The article describes reforms implemented by the National Leader to ensure the right to life and humanize  national penal policy. Furthermore, the paper provides information about the establishment of a moratorium on and repeal of the use of the death penalty in Azerbaijan, execution of pardoning and amnesty acts, drawing attention to the fact that this process is currently being continued under the leadership of  the country’s President, Ilham Aliyev.  

In the article, the author also brought to the attention of the readers, the core legislative and institutional reforms, carried out by the Great Leader to guarantee upholding human rights. It was underlined that on 12 November, 1995, following the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan by referendum, in order to effectively protect human rights, a legal base was established for large-scale reforms in the field of development of national legislation, governance, and institutional mechanisms. The author considers that among the legal reforms initiated by the National Leader, the comprehensive amendments made to the Constitution as a result of the referendum that took place in August 2002 are of utmost importance.        

In addition, the article introduces information on how our State has joined international treaties on human rights, including freedom of speech, opinion, and press, as an integral part of them, and how a favorable environment for media development has been created as a result of broad reforms by the National Leader. The ongoing measures to establish media-related legal framework, and improve its material and tecnical basis have created reliable conditions for the elimination of artificial obstacles to ensure freedom of media, establishment and development of new and independent media entities have also been reflected.      

The paper also gives a brief overview of legal reforms that resulted in the establishment of the ombuds institution in Azerbaijan and the development of human rights. The author pointed out that the State has always given strong support to increasing the effectiveness of the activities of the ombuds instituton, established at the initiative of the National Leader, Heydar Aliyev.