Baku/26.04.12/Turan: Prevention of torture and inhumane treatment
is one of the activities of the OSCE Office in Baku within the framework of
promoting rule of law in member countries. With the support of the OSCE, a
draft law on the rights of persons detained as suspects or defendants has been
prepared.
"We
hope that the bill will be adopted in the final form before the summer,"
said Monica Martinez, representative of OSCE Baku, at a joint
seminar with the Ombudsman Administration.
The
first reading of the bill, which has already been passed, ensures suspects and
accused persons the right to immediately inform their relatives about their
detention and access to lawyers.
Today's
event was organized together with the staff of the Ombudsman and was devoted to
the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against torture.
"We
are convinced that NPM plays an important role in the prevention of torture and
ill-treatment. I hope that this workshop helps to strengthen the protection of
the rights of persons deprived of their liberty," said the Head of OSCE
Office in Baku, Koray Targay.
In
Azerbaijan, the NPM was created two years ago under the Optional Protocol to
the UN Convention on the prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment.
Ombudswoman
Suleymanova said that a special group of 17 people was created for the
implementation of NPM. According to her, the group conducts
monitoring of pre-trial detention, detention centers, and penal institutions.
However, she pointed to the limited
financial resources of the group, adding that the issue of state funding for
the NPM will be addressed in 2012.
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