POLITICS
AZERBAIJAN AND ICRC PROLONG COOPERATION AGREEMENT
Azerbaijani Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov and Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Azerbaijan Martin Amacher singed, July 26, a Protocol for the prolongation of the Agreement between the Government of Azerbaijan and ICRC.
During a ceremony of signing the Protocol, Minister Mammadov spoke of the radical reforms implemented in the penal system of Azerbaijan, improvement of living conditions of prisoners, measures to protect of their rights and strengthening of the public control in this sphere.
He noted that prolongation of the Agreement with ICRC will open new horizons for the cooperation.
Head of the ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan Martin Acher informed the Minister that in the past two years, representatives of the organization have attend detention places more than 100 times and met with nearly 1500 convicts. He described as positive the results of the major reforms implemented in the penal system of Azerbaijan confirming the improvement of prisoners’ living conditions, food supply and healthcare service.
According to the Agreement signed between the Government of Azerbaijan and ICRC in 2000, officials of the organization were allowed an unimpeded access to the institutions of confinement and one-on-one conversations with prisoners.