The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva and the members of the Ombudsman’s National Preventive Group against Torture conducted visits to the detention places, which persons cannot leave at their own will, without prior notice.

During the next visit conducted within the National Preventive Mechanism activity on the basis of the requirements of national and international legal norms, including the OPCAT, the Ombudsman received in a private manner Vagif Khachatryan, who was arrested by the staff of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the Lachin border checkpoint of the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 29, 2023.

During the visit, V. Khachatryan’s appeal was heard by the Ombudsman in the presence of the members of the National Preventive Group against Torture, including the physician and psychologist specialists. He expressed his satisfaction with the humane approach shown from the very first moment of the arrest and the quality medical care provided and mentioned that there’re positive changes in his health status. V. Khachatryan expressed his gratitude to the state of Azerbaijan for this all, as well as for his treatment, detention conditions, and the creation of the opportunity to contact his family.

Within the framework of the visit, the conditions of detention in the facility – issues related to personal hygiene and sanitation, healthcare services, nutrition were investigated. It was established that the rights of this individual arising from the national legislation and international documents and the necessary medical-psychological services were provided without any discrimination, and there’re literature and useful informational materials in his ward as well.

916. Khachatryan was also given legislative acts and international tools in his own language related to appeal mechanisms on his rights and the educational print materials on how to apply to the Ombudsman and the Call Center 916.

The information, as well as video and photo materials about this individual received during the visit have also been sent to the relevant international organizations.