The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan
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THE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OMBUDSMAN) OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN R E P O R T ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST TORTURE (2011) Baku – 2012 The report covers the establishment, mandate and essence of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture in the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the actions taken in 2011 and the relevant proposals and recommendations. ISBN: 978-9952-8138-9-0 This report was prepared by the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, translated and published with the financial support of the OSCE Office in Baku. The views expressed in the report are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the OSCE Office in Baku. Foreword No-one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This provision is enshrined in Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Along with the aforementioned, Article 46 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan stipulates that everyone has the right to defend his/her honour and dignity. The dignity of a person is protected by the State. Nothing can lead to humiliation of dignity of a human being. No one shall be exposed to torture or suffering or be subjected to degrading treatment or punishment. Honour and dignity are ensured and safeguarded by the rights to freedom, privacy, life in safety, inviolability of residence, protection of honour and dignity and several other rights. The actual legal protection of a person’s honour and dignity are additionally safeguarded by a number of social and economic rights such as the right to labour which prohibits forced labour, or the right to social security which guarantees decent living, as well as by the criminal law provisions which define defamation and insult as a crime. This right prohibits a person’s exposure to influence or coercion or degradation of his/her personality by the State or its official bodies. The State, having a positive obligation to protect human honour and dignity, shall protect everyone from any intimidation and persecution. Everyone has a fundamental right to respect for himself/herself and no derogations are allowed even in time of emergency. It should be mentioned that government officials at all levels carry responsibility for not preventing torture or not taking appropriate steps. At the same time an order from a high ranked official or a state body cannot justify torture and any person, even acting under an order, shall be kept liable for his/her actions. Both national and international laws, when prohibiting degradation of human honour and dignity, not only prevent the government from degrading human honour and dignity, but also puts a positive obligation on the government to protect persons from such attacks by others. Our state ratified the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) in 1996 and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987) in 2001. The accession of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment has predetermined the review of the report submitted by the 3 country at the supervisory mechanism created pursuant to the Convention - the Committee against Torture, and based on the recommendations made by the Committee against Torture with regard to Azerbaijan, a number of legal reforms have been undertaken in the country. Our country signed the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 15 September 2005 and ratified it with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan of 2 December 2008. By Order No. 112 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan of 13 January 2009 the Commissioner has been designated as the institution to perform the functions of the national preventive mechanism as constituted in the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The mentioned provision was specified in the Constitutional Law on “the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan” by Constitutional Law No 163-IVKQD of 24 June 2011 and this has contributed towards the improvement of the Commissioner’s independence and expansion of her mandate and powers. 4 Definitions and abbreviations used in the text CAO- the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Azerbaijan Commissioner- the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Constitutional Law-the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan CPD-a city police department CPO-a city police office Deprivation of liberty-any form of detention or imprisonment or the placement of a person in a public or private custodial setting, which that person is not permitted to leave at will by order of any judicial, administrative or other authority Detainee- a person deprived of his/her liberty DPD-a district police department DPO-a district police office MD-the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan ME-the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan MH-the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan MI- the Medical Institution of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan MIA- the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan MJ- the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan MLSPP- the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan MNS- the Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan NAP-the National Action Plan for Protection of Human Rights NPM-the national preventive mechanism provided for by the Optional protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment OSCE-ODIHR- the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organizations for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office- the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic OPCAT-the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment OSCE- the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe PCS- a penal colony settlement 5 Person deprived of his/her liberty-a person in whose respect deprivation of liberty has been applied PI- a penitentiary institution Place of detention-any place where a person is detained or may be detained without permission to leave at will PS- the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan SMI- the Specialized Medical Institution of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice TDP- a temporary detention place Torture- torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment UN-the United Nations 6 Chapter I. Development of the National Preventive Mechanism in Azerbaijan 1.1. The mandate and essence of the national preventive mechanism The adoption of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment has intended to reaffirm that torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are prohibited and constitute serious violations of human rights. Thus, it has aimed to highlight the importance of taking further measures to protect persons deprived of their liberty from torture by non- judicial means of a preventive nature based on regular visits to places of detention, as well as to recall that states are obliged to take effective measures to prevent acts of torture and have the primary responsibility for implementing this obligation, and that the full respect for the human rights of persons deprived of their liberty is a common responsibility shared by all and that international bodies’ activities complement national measures to serve to this process. The Optional Protocol, the main requirement of which is to establish a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places of detention in order to prevent torture, as an innovative treaty, embracing international and national efforts to prevent torture and emphasizing the importance of a constructive dialogue, specifies that not a reactive approach – an approach based on reaction, but a preventive approach – an approach aimed at preventing shall be applied to the regulated relations. In other words, the Protocol envisages no new rights or restoration of infringed rights but the prevention of the violation of the right not to be subjected to torture. In accordance with the Optional Protocol, the Subcommittee on Prevention at the international level and national preventive mechanisms at the national level are set up. The Subcommittee established at the international level being a subcommittee of the UN Committee against Torture, is a new generation treaty body. As already mentioned, the Optional Protocol, being an effective tool for combating torture, sets out the requirement to establish or designate a national preventive mechanism for the prevention of torture. Thus, in accordance with Article 17 of the Protocol, each State Party shall maintain, designate or establish, at the latest