International Conference on the topic - Protection of Human Rights in the TURKPA Member States was held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Ombudsman Institution

The international conference “Protection of Human Rights in the TURKPA Member States” was held within the framework of the cooperation among the Ombudsman Office, Parliament, and the TURKPA on the occasion of the 20th anniversary.  

A Chairman of the Parliament Committee for Human Rights, Mr. Zahid Oruj, the Secretary-General of TURKPA,  Mr. Mehmet Süreyya Er,  Ombudsman, Ms. Sabina Aliyeva, and a Chairman of the TURKPA Commission on Legal Affairs and International Relations, Mr. Erol Kaya reported during the opening ceremony of the conference.

The ombuds of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan and heads of National Human Rights Institutions, national deputies, and foreign parliamentarians were given the floor during other sessions.

The Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva gave detailed information on the main activity directions and recently implemented institutional reforms, during her speech. It was said that the Ombudsman was granted mandates to submit proposals to the Parliament regarding the enactment, abolishment, or amendments to the legislation to better ensure human rights and freedoms and that during 20 years of its activity, effective cooperation was built between the Ombudsman Office and the Parliament as a legislative body. Consequently, the written proposals of the Ombudsman to amend numerous legislative acts and ratify some international treaties were considered. S. Aliyeva added that submitted recommendations for the advancement of the Constitutional Law on Ombudsman of Azerbaijan will be reviewed in the near future.

It was also underscored the importance of the strengthening the cooperation, as well as a joint activity within the framework of the cooperation of the newly established Association of Ombudsmen and National Human Rights Institutions to ensure human rights and democratic development among the Turkic States. S. Aliyeva noted that along with respective parliaments of the Turkic states, ombuds and NHRIs face new tasks of historical importance with respect to new challenges.    

The conference participants had a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova. During the meeting, it was underlined the productive cooperation with the Ombudsman Office, and the parties exchanged views.

During the session on the topic “Significance of the legislative Improvement in Effective Activity of Ombuds”, the Chairman of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (HREI), Mr. Muharrem Kiliç, Ombudswoman of Kazakhstan, Ms. Elvira Azimova, Ombudswoman of Kyrgyzstan, Ms.   At?r Abdrahmatova, Chief Ombudsman of Turkey, Mr. ?eref Malkoç, and Ombuswoman of Uzbekistan,  Ms. Feruza E?matova shared their experiences.  

In the end, the Azerbaijani Ombudswoman expressed her gratitude to the guests, stressing the significance of strengthening the mutual cooperation among ombudspersons of TURKPA Member States.