Azerbaijan’s Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman), Sabina Aliyeva, spoke in an interview with Report about cooperation with international organizations over the past year and the goals set for this year. The discussion also touched on issues that need to be raised before international organizations and the public regarding acts of vandalism committed by Armenian military formations in the liberated territories.
- As an Ombudsman, you place great importance on cooperation with international organizations. Could you summarize your activities in this area for 2024 and share your goals for 2025?
"First of all, I would like to note that the Ombudsman Institution pays special attention to cooperation with international organizations, as well as ombudsmen and national human rights institutions of foreign countries. This work successfully continued last year.
Climate change and human rights were at the forefront of the Ombudsman’s agenda. In this context, on October 2, 2024, the International Baku Forum of Ombudsmen was held in Baku at the initiative of the Ombudsman’s office, bringing together over 200 representatives from more than 30 countries. The forum addressed issues such as climate justice, corporate responsibility, access to information, and human rights in the field of environmental protection.
As a result of the forum, the Baku Declaration was adopted, emphasizing the role of national human rights institutions in climate change issues. Additionally, at the initiative of the Ombudsman’s Institution, discussions on human rights and climate justice were organized within the framework of COP29.
The Ombudsman also continued cooperation with the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, actively participating in discussions and projects concerning the rule of law, children's rights, and other human rights aspects.
Furthermore, the Ombudsman participated in events held by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Human Rights, where she presented evidence of Armenia’s environmental and humanitarian crimes to the international community. She called for broad global discussions on these issues and stronger international support.
Looking ahead, in 2025, we will continue to expand international cooperation to further strengthen the protection of human rights and freedoms and support sustainable development. One of our priorities is exchanging best practices with other countries and strengthening ties with ombudsmen and national human rights institutions.
As in previous years, we plan to sign memorandums of understanding with various organizations and conduct mutual visits with different ombudsman institutions this year.
In 2025, we will continue our efforts to protect the rights of compatriots expelled from Armenia and ensure their return to their native lands. We also intend to strengthen existing cooperation with international and regional ombudsman networks by inviting their leaders to visit our country and organizing trips to liberated territories. These visits are crucial for familiarizing international partners with the large-scale reconstruction efforts underway in these areas.
Additionally, 2025 has been declared the Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty in our country. As part of this initiative, several events will be held, including a Symposium of Ombudsmen in Baku, dedicated to June 18 – National Human Rights Day. The event will welcome international partners, ombudsmen from various countries, heads of national human rights institutions, representatives of government agencies, civil society, as well as local and foreign media. The symposium will address key issues related to the rule of law and the improvement of public administration.
- How is the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan working to protect children's rights?
To enhance efficiency in this area, the Ombudsman’s Institution has a dedicated Children’s Rights Protection Sector. Additionally, last year, a Monitoring Committee on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was established under the Ombudsman’s directive. The primary objective of this committee is to support the Ombudsman’s role as an independent oversight mechanism ensuring compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Ombudsman reviews complaints, conducts monitoring, analyses legislation and the current situation, makes proposals, and carries out educational and informational work in the field of protecting children's rights. In this process, special attention is paid to cooperation with government agencies, civil society, international organizations and human rights institutions from foreign countries, as well as ensuring the active participation of children themselves. The principle of prioritizing children's rights is fundamental to all activities undertaken by the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman’s Institution also regularly organizes events and meetings for children from different backgrounds and for professionals working with them. One significant initiative is the annual Children’s Rights Month, held from October 20 to November 20, during which various activities take place, and appeals are made to relevant authorities.
Notably, in 2024, for the first time, educational activities were conducted in schools located in the liberated territories.
Furthermore, members of the National Preventive Group and Monitoring Committees conduct unannounced inspections of state-run child institutions. Following these inspections, necessary measures are taken to address identified deficiencies.
- Could you provide information about the adopted and planned measures to protect the rights of persons affected by the mine problem?
- The enormous number of mines and unexploded ordnance planted by Armenian armed forces during the occupation period, during the Patriotic War, and after the liberation of territories, including mines manufactured in Armenia in 2021, continue to pose a serious threat to people's lives and health.
As a result of mine explosions, not only military personnel have been affected, but also a large number of civilians deployed to the liberated areas to perform their official duties, including media representatives who have become victims of mine terrorism. According to statistics, since 1991, more than 3,400 people have become victims of mines, including 359 children and 38 women. These figures clearly demonstrate that the mine problem leads to gross violations of fundamental human rights and is a serious obstacle to a just and sustainable peace in the region.
I note with deep regret that Armenia's mine terror not only leads to numerous human casualties and severe injuries but also creates significant obstacles to large-scale construction and restoration of the liberated territories. This slows down the safe return of internally displaced persons to their native places, which, in turn, hinders stability and development in the region. In this regard, the international community should actively participate in the fight against mine terrorism to protect such fundamental human rights as the right to life, freedom, movement, property, safe living conditions, and health protection.
Notably, on March 2, 2023, at the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement's Contact Group on Combating COVID-19 in Baku, the country's president proposed including demining in the UN Agenda for 2030 as the 18th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This initiative plays a crucial role in accelerating the process of restoring liberated territories and facilitating the return of former internally displaced persons.
We continue to inform the global community about the mine threat in the liberated areas and call for a more active stance on this issue. We have sent numerous statements, appeals, and reports to international and regional organizations, ombudsmen of foreign states, and national human rights institutions, highlighting Armenia’s systematic violations of international humanitarian law. One such document is the special report "The Mine Problem in the Liberated Territories," which presents compelling evidence of mine terrorism and demands urgent measures to provide our country with accurate maps of mined areas.
Representatives of various international organizations, ombudsmen, and national human rights institutions who visited Azerbaijan at our invitation witnessed the war crimes committed against our country and subsequently prepared corresponding reports submitted to international organizations. Additionally, at international events held both domestically and abroad, as well as in meetings with representatives of international and regional structures, the ombudsman has repeatedly brought public attention to the truth about Armenia’s mine terrorism. However, despite the urgency of the problem, no positive response has been received so far.
This year, our priorities remain the continuation of international cooperation to obtain accurate maps of territories contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, the acceleration of demining efforts, monitoring the protection of rights and freedoms of individuals affected by mines, and preventing further violations.
- Will you have any proposals this year regarding the families of martyrs and veterans based on complaints received by the Ombudsman?
- First of all, I would like to note that providing special care to families of martyrs, persons with disabilities acquired while defending the territorial integrity, independence and constitutional order of Azerbaijan, as well as war veterans, and further strengthening social support mechanisms for them are priority issues. The Ombudsman pays constant attention to improving their social and living conditions, providing medical and psychological assistance, creating conditions for using the provided benefits and guarantees, as well as the implementation of other rights.
In this direction, the activities of the Ombudsman Institution continued systematically and promptly. Meetings and receptions with representatives of this category of the population were held in the capital and regions. Each complaint addressed to the Ombudsman regarding employment, healthcare, disability, rehabilitation, and other areas was reviewed in cooperation with the relevant state bodies, as a result of which a number of issues were resolved.
In recent years, the Ombudsman's proposals to expand and strengthen social protection for families of martyrs have been aimed at the effective implementation of the rights of these population groups.
As is known, according to the Cabinet of Ministers' decree dated January 15, 1994, No. 10, the "Rules for perpetuating the name of a martyr and providing benefits to families of martyrs" were approved, according to which families of martyrs are entitled to benefits and privileges provided by legislation.
Part 2 of these Rules defines the categories of persons considered to be members of the families of the deceased. However, in practice, certain difficulties arise that require amendments and additions to the legislation. In particular, according to paragraph 2.1.4 of these rules, only brothers and sisters of a martyr who are raised in orphanages are considered members of the martyr's family. Making changes to the legislation to include brothers and sisters of martyrs regardless of whether they live in orphanages will allow these individuals to enjoy the corresponding benefits and privileges.
In general, it should be noted that a significant portion of appeals received by the Ombudsman from persons wounded during the war concerned difficulties in determining disability status. Such appeals reflect problems related to the preparation and submission of relevant documents, delays in the review process, as well as unfavorable conditions for establishing disability. Despite the fact that as a result of joint activities with relevant authorities, a number of issues were resolved, problems related to disability determination still persist.
- In the period from 2020 to 2024, significant steps were taken to improve the activities of the Ombudsman Institute in the field of human rights protection, the ombudsman was given new powers and innovations were introduced. How can this process be evaluated as a whole?
- In recent years, significant measures have been taken to improve the protection of human rights. As previously mentioned, in order to enhance the protection of children's rights, a new structural division was established within the Ombudsman’s Office—the Children’s Rights Protection Sector. Its creation has allowed for the systematization of work related to the review of complaints, conducting monitoring, analyzing existing problems, organizing educational activities, and cooperating with various institutions. This sector operates in coordination with regional Ombudsman centers, ensuring the protection of children's rights not only in the capital but also in the regions.
For effective interaction with relevant state institutions, in 2021, the Ombudsman’s Office created the Sector for Work with Families of Martyrs and War Veterans. The main objective of this structural division is to comprehensively address the concerns of martyr families, individuals with disabilities resulting from the defense of the country’s territorial integrity, and war veterans, ensuring the prompt resolution of their issues. As part of the efforts to improve the Ombudsman’s work, in 2025, a new sector, the Protection of the Rights of Martyr Families, War Participants, and Migrants, was established, expanding the scope of the sector’s work.
In order to promote civil society and following the principle of the international human rights protection system that "Every person is born with fundamental rights and freedoms," the Ombudsman Institute established the Sector for Ensuring the Right to Equality. The main objective of this sector is to promote and ensure an inclusive society in the country.
The Ombudsman operates in accordance with the Paris Principles and continues to take steps to enhance its activities. In 2023, more than 30 significant changes were made to the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On the Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan."
These changes expanded the scope of subjects covered by the relevant Constitutional law. Specifically, an independent monitoring mechanism was established to promote the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ensuring the right to equality and preventing discrimination. Furthermore, the Ombudsman’s mandate in the field of international cooperation was clarified, and its powers to monitor and assess the implementation of state programs, strategies, national action plans, and human rights concepts were officially defined. The Ombudsman’s powers to review complaints were also expanded, including the ability to conduct on-site investigations and document their results.
It should be noted that based on the Ombudsman’s directive, monitoring groups were established to independently monitor the implementation of the Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Rights of the Child, ensuring the right to equality, and preventing discrimination. These groups have already begun their work.
- You visited the territories liberated from occupation. What issues should be raised before international organizations and the public regarding the acts of vandalism committed by Armenian military formations? How do you plan to address this problem within your activities in 2025?
- The destruction of our historical, cultural, and religious monuments, including the desecration of mosques and destruction of cemeteries, as a result of acts of vandalism committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan, is a clear violation of human rights and cultural heritage. Such actions contradict the norms of international law, particularly the 1954 Hague Convention "On the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict" and its two protocols.
The information collected by the Ombudsman Institute and our observations during assessment missions to the liberated territories once again clearly demonstrate the need for a broader, more comprehensive and systematic discussion of this issue at the international level. The results of these trips emphasize the importance of a deep analysis of events in the region from the perspective of human rights, property rights, and international law, as well as increasing the attention of the world community to this problem. In this regard, the participation of international organizations and partner countries plays an important role.
It should be noted that the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan cooperates with a number of international organizations, including the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to investigate violations of the rights and freedoms of Azerbaijanis, recorded in international documents, as a result of Armenia's occupation policy. As part of this cooperation, representatives of the commission have conducted assessment missions in Azerbaijan twice.
The purpose of the second trip, which took place in 2023, was to study on-site the facts of destruction of religious and cultural monuments, cemeteries belonging to Azerbaijanis by Armenian forces, as well as to collect information about those affected by the occupation and missile strikes. Following the trip, a report was prepared and presented to the international community. This document recorded facts of gross violation by Armenia of the norms of international humanitarian law, as well as recommendations on this issue. The report was approved during the 50th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers and published on the official website of the commission.
In 2025, we plan to continue cooperation with international organizations to bring to the world community information about mass violations of the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons, the destruction of natural, historical, and cultural values of Azerbaijan during the occupation, and to seek compensation from Armenia for the damage caused. In this regard, ties with the UN, Council of Europe, UNESCO, and other international organizations will be strengthened. We will speak at international events based on documents, photos, and videos recording acts of vandalism and human rights violations during the occupation period, as well as conduct active information work through the media.
We will also continue regular monitoring of the liberated territories, promptly informing international organizations about newly identified facts. To bring the perpetrators to justice, we will expand cooperation with international lawyers and experts. In addition, special attention will be paid to initiatives to support the restoration of cultural heritage, which is an important aspect of the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands. It is planned to expand initiatives both at the local and international levels, emphasizing the importance of restoring cultural heritage when former internally displaced persons return to their native lands.
I am confident that our work within the powers of the Ombudsman will contribute to bringing the truth about Azerbaijan to the world community and drawing attention to solving the problems our country faces.
- In previous years, meetings were held with citizens of Azerbaijan who were repatriated from some foreign countries. What steps did the Ombudsman Institute take in 2024 to protect their rights? What plans and innovations are expected in 2025?
- The issue of protecting the rights of our citizens who are in difficult living conditions abroad, including repatriates, is at the center of our attention.
As is known, thanks to measures taken by the government of Azerbaijan, the repatriation of our citizens in Syria is being carried out. On issues reflected in appeals to the Ombudsman from close relatives of such persons, especially women and children, regarding their return to the country and provision of assistance, we send inquiries to the relevant authorities and take necessary steps.
In general, in order to take measures for the return of our citizens remaining in Syria and to ensure their rights, appeals have been sent to the Cabinet of Ministers and other authorized state bodies at various times. Negotiations are also being conducted with international organizations.
Overall, for the purpose of returning our citizens remaining in Syria and protecting their rights, the Ombudsman has repeatedly appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers and other authorized state bodies.
The Ombudsman and his representatives held meetings with 74 citizens of Azerbaijan (57 children and 17 women) repatriated from Syria and studied the level of protection of their rights.
This work continued in 2024. Meetings were held with 31 repatriates, rehabilitation activities conducted in the facilities where they are housed were studied, and measures were taken to protect their rights. During the meetings, their general and psychological condition was assessed, problems and needs were identified, and information was provided about the Ombudsman's activities and how to appeal to him.
As a result of measures taken in response to appeals to the Ombudsman regarding the rights of repatriates, the issuance of birth certificates to children, provision of social assistance and psychological support services, as well as other issues were addressed. This year, we will continue our work to protect the rights of repatriates.