These are the words said by Azerbaijan's Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova during a session devoted to the 9th anniversary of Azerbaijan's accession to the CoE and the 60th anniversary of the European Human Convention.
Instead of listing a number of developments or shortcomings existing in the country, Azerbaijani Ombudsman chose to cite conferences, training courses and seminars that took place in the course of the last years.
While mentioning her visit to arrested journalist Eynulla Fatullayev and recent blogger's case Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada, she failed to provide any assessment regarding recent additional charges brought against Eynulla Fatullayev.
Ombudsman said placing prisoners in punishment cells is not a torture while elaborating on types of torture. "I have asked Ombudsmen of the Council of Europe member-states who has been punished for tortures in their countries. None of the Ombudsmen could answer the question and none of them can say that there are no tortures in their country," she added.
It seems like there is general misunderstanding when it comes to fulfilling commitments of international agreements and institutions Azerbaijan signed and became member of. Maybe its time to remind ourselves what they are and why we joined/signed them in the first place?
3 comments:
there has been some reaction but mostly in forms of condemnation statements and resentment but no action or further steps
As always...
Azerbaijan is going to be Turkmenistan of Caucasus.
European reactions? It seems to me they are more interested in oil than in human rights.
Peasant from Baku
Again, Azerbaijan is focusing on being equal to the worst offenders rather than competing against itself. While it should be focused on what being a member of the Council of Europe entails, or even looking at what Azerbaijan was like 10 years ago, it is looking at its neighbours.
Baku is like the child who, when told to do his homework, says, "But Johnny isn't doing his homework! Why are you always harder than me??"
This crazy competition of who can be the last to improve, means that no one moves forward. "We're not going to make a change until Armenia, Moldova, and Belarus change!"
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