Ombudsman received the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Elmira Suleymanova received the delegation headed by Dunja Mijatović, the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights.

In the meeting, complex measures implemented after Azerbaijan became CoE member, its effective bilateral cooperation with the CoE and joint projects were discussed.

E.Suleymanova spoke about CoE/EU Twinning projects on strengthening capacities of Ombudsman, especially the one which lasted for 24 months.

The Ombudsman spoke comprehensively about her NPM activity, informed about 692 convicts who have been released as a result of her motions submitted to the Commission on Pardoning Issues every month, also informed about monitoring the implementation of the Law on Access to Information by the Ombudsman.

The information about practical seminars for media representatives in collaboration with the UN OHCHR, involvement of the Ombudsman Institution to the CoE Project on “Gender equality and media freedom in Azerbaijan”, evaluation of gender-related activity of the Ombudsman as a good practice by GANHRI was provided.

The Ombudsman gave information about awareness raising events held in Police and Justice Academies and in the Training-Education Center of Public Prosecutor’s Office, provision of “Human Rights” and “Introduction to Gender” subjects in the Law faculty of Baku State University, also about Hierarchic Education on Child Rights project realized jointly with the Ministry of Education.

The Ombudsman told about 700 proposals of the Ombudsman addressed to the government and state bodies, also proposals made to the country Parliament on ratification of the CoE Lanzarote Convention, adoption of the Law on Protection of Children against Corporal Punishment, also numerous requests addressed to the Constitutional Court.

E.Suleymanova broadly informed the guests on the activity regarding refugees and IDPs and asked the CoE Commissioner for mobilization of all international mechanisms by the CoE to support and accelerate relevant concrete measures for the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with just peace way.

While talking about Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, held hostage by the Military Forces of Armenia, E.Suleymanova said that she applied to the President of ICRC and to the head of ICRC Country Delegation on supporting their return and treatment them in line with international legal norms and discussed this matter with its Vice-president Christine Beerli in Geneva Headquarters.

The Ombudsman also made mention of the appeal addressed to the head of ICRC Country Delegation on March 2019 on asking support for returning of Elvin Ibrahimov, who was taken hostage by Armenian military.

At the end, Ms.Mijatović presented several CoE print materials on human rights, extended thanks for warm welcome, broad information about the activity of the Office and detailed answers for her questions.