The Ombudsman received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to our country

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, received Tobias Lorentzson, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Sweden to Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, S. Aliyeva provided detailed information about the activities and directions of the Ombudsman's mandate in the field of human rights and freedoms. The Ombudsman spoke about the bilateral cooperation with international organizations operating in the respective field, as well as with the Ombudsmen of Sweden and other countries. The Ombudsman said that close collaboration is being maintained within the networks of the International Ombudsman Institute and regional ombudsman institutions.

The Ombudsman, noting that Armenia has still not provided information regarding the fate of nearly 4,000 of our compatriots who went missing during the First Karabakh War, emphasized that Armenia bears responsibility for its severe violations of human rights and the norms of international humanitarian law. The Ombudsman also highlights that during the occupation period, Armenia's mine terrorism on the territories of Azerbaijan poses a serious obstacle to the safe return to liberated areas and hinders extensive restoration and reconstruction efforts. The Ombudsman invites Sweden to participate in the demining process carried out in the freed territories.

The Ombudsman said that in order to investigate the violations of the norms and principles of international humanitarian law by Armenia during the war and post-war period, the Ombudsman has carried out fact-finding missions, conducted on-site investigations, and submitted reports and statements prepared on the basis of the obtained factual materials to relevant international human rights institutions. The Ombudsman emphasizes that the failure to hold accountable those responsible for committing war crimes creates a conducive environment for the recurrence of such incidents.

During the meeting, future prospects of collaboration in the field of human rights, including gender equality, were discussed.