The Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva met with Hissein Brahim Taha, OIC Secretary General

The Human Rights Commissioner, Sabina Aliyeva, had a meeting with Hissein Brahim Taha, the OIC Secretary General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

At the meeting, the Ombudsman gave information about her activities in the field of protection of human rights. 

Underscoring the importance of international cooperation in her activities, the Ombudsman said that measures have been taken to further strengthen mutual relations with various national human rights institutions and ombudspersons within the frame of regional and international organizations, including the OIC Ombudsmen Association and the Asian Ombudsmen Association. Sabina Aliyeva stressed the significance of joint efforts among the OIC Member NHRIs towards more effective safeguarding human rights and freedoms.     

Stressing the thirty-year occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia, the Ombudsman reiterated OIC support to our country during that period, recognition of the Khojaly Genocide, and adoption of resolutions requiring liberating our then-occupied territories.   

Giving information about Armenia’s ecocide crimes committed in our territories, it was said that ecology was seriously damaged and lands were contaminated with mines. The Ombudsman emphasized that the accurate maps of minefields have not been presented to our country so far, and subsequently, the landmine problem poses a threat to the lives and health of civilian populations and hampers the safe return of former IDPs to their homes as well as the construction and rehabilitation works there.    

Given all these outlined above, it was brought to the attention of the Member States to increase support to the OIC in eliminating the existing problem. 

The OIC Secretary General, Hissein Brahim Taha, expressing his thankfulness for the warm atmosphere of the meeting, emphasized that Azerbaijan is an active Member State of the organization. The Secretary-General said that he visited our country several times, and that the liberation of the occupied territories by Azerbaijan was welcomed by islamic countries, and he got familiarized with the construction and building works on the spot. 

At the meeting, a few issues of common interest were comprehensively discussed.