The Ombudsperson received the co-rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ms. Sabina Aliyeva, received Mr. Ian Liddell-Grainger and Ms. Liz Kristoffersen, the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee. Mr. Kamal Jafarov, a member of the Parliament and the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, S. Aliyeva gave broad information on the Ombudsman’s main activity directions in the field of protection of human rights and freedoms. The Ombudsperson spoke about the additions and amendments proposed to the Constitutional Law on the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding the broadening of the Ombudsperson’s mandate enshrined in the Constitutional Law in compliance with international best practices.

The Ombudsperson said that regular preventive visits are conducted to the places which persons cannot leave on their own will, together with the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) Group. In addition, it was noted that annual reports about NPM activity have been published, and over 200 recommendations and suggestions for improving the legal framework have been reflected in the reports so far.

S. Aliyeva underlined that the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, the elderly, children, refugees, former internally displaced persons, migrants, and other vulnerable groups of the population is always carefully approached.

The Ombudsperson stated that information about the fate of nearly 4,000 of our compatriots who went missing during the First Karabakh War has not been provided by Armenia to date. Furthermore, it was highlighted that Armenia carried out mine terrorism in the territories of Azerbaijan during the occupation period. It was also noted that the existence of the landmines delays the safe return to our liberated territories and seriously impedes the restoration and construction works there. 

During the meeting, questions from the guests were answered, and a mutual exchange of ideas was conducted.