Azerbaijan’s Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva has met with Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee of the State of Qatar Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah.
During the meeting, Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva provided an insight into her mandate, as well as the activities in the field of protecting and promoting human rights and freedoms.
Stressing the importance of international cooperation, the Azerbaijani Ombudsman highlighted close collaboration with international organizations, as well as foreign ombudspersons and NHRIs of other countries, and concluded memorandum of understanding, adding that such bilateral cooperation will be further strengthened.
Touching upon the amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva pointed out the expansion of the Ombudsman’s mandate regarding the protection of PWDs and children’s rights, ensuring equality and preventing discrimination, and protection of the right to information and other areas.
Providing information about the NPM activities, the Ombudsman also brought to the attention of the Chairperson the preventive monitoring visits conducted to places which persons cannot leave at their own will without prior notification in order to investigate detention conditions and treatment, and follow up on the implementation of the previously given recommendations.
The Ombudsman underlined that, up to date, there is no any information about the fate of about 4000 of our citizens reported missing during the First Karabakh War, while highlighting the occupation and terror policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
The discussions revolved around the landmines problem existing in the liberated territories, which had been planted by Armenia during the occupation, and which endangers the lives and health of the Azerbaijani citizens, hinders the safe return of the former IDPs to their ancestral lands, as well as the ongoing reconstruction process in the liberated territories.
Sabina Aliyeva shared her views about the prospects for cooperation within COP29, the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, which will be hosted by Azerbaijan this year.
Chairperson Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah provided information about her own mandate, the Committee’s activity areas, expressing her interest in future collaboration.
During the meeting, they also discussed other issues of mutual interest and prospects for cooperation.
