FOREWORD
As it is known, the Republic of Azerbaijan ratified the Optional Protocol
to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment on December 2, 2008, by the Decree No.112 of
the country President dated January 13, 2009, the Commissioner for Human
Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan was determined as an
institution fulfilling the functions of the National Preventive Mechanism
envisaged by the Protocol.
Fulfilling of the tasks following from these new functions which are
logical continuation of legal reforms conducted within the frames of the
legal statehood building in the country became one of the directions of the
Commissioner’s activity.
Mutual cooperation of the Commissioner with relevant state authorities,
civil society organizations, mass media, international organizations and
National Human Rights Institutions of foreign countries, local and
international experts, ensured improvement of her activity as an NPM,
building of efficient and constructive cooperation, conduction of fruitful
discussions, training and exchange of experience.
We do not deny any initiatives and contributions for improving the
existing activity from the standpoint of practical approaches in the frames of
our activity as the NPM against torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment, putting forward proposals and recommendations to
the legislation, as well as from the organizational point of view.
Independent, impartial and special attention paid by the Commissioner
to organization of preventive measures, conduction of awareness activities
once again affirms it as a National Human Rights Institution with “A”
Status in compliance with the Paris Principles.
The present Report covers the activity of the Azerbaijani NPM for 2016
and envisages the conducted measures, preventive visits and their results,
submitted proposals and recommendations, their implementation status, also
legal awareness and other activity realized by the NPM.
We hope that the issues raised, recommendations and proposals in this
report will give their contributions to the improvement of various directions
in the relevant activity in compliance with the Optional Protocol’s demands.
We thank you for the proposals to be sent to the report in beforehand.
Professor Elmira SULEYMANOVA
The Commissioner for Human Rights
(Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan
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