Baku, January 13, AZERTAC

Minister of Internal Affairs of the Azerbaijan Republic Colonel-General Ramil Usubov met with Stefan Schennach and Cezar Florin Preda, co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Ramil Usubov informed the guests that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has prepared and is implementing a Special Plan of events for the purpose of full-scale accomplishment of the tasks following from the orders signed by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev connected with human rights protection in the country.

Speaking about establishing close cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Council of Europe, Mr. Usubov noted that the work which is carried out within these relations and the performed measures aimed at providing the rights and freedoms of the person have special importance. “In the republic with direct participation of experts from the leading countries of Europe, we have accepted a number of the regulations relying on democratic values and new laws determining the legal basis of activities of police, protection of the rights and freedoms of the person and citizens”, he stressed.

It was noted that the work directed to further increase in professionalism of staff of law-enforcement bodies, studying of the international experience is performed systemically. For this purpose, for the last five years about 2500 employees of Interior Ministry participated in various trainings and seminars through the Council of Europe, OSCE and other international organizations.

It was reported that addresses about violation by Interior employees of the rights and freedoms of the person and citizen are quickly and objectively investigated by the relevant management of the ministry and adequate measures are taken immediately. According to the Minister, 1579 employees were punished only for the last five years for ill-treatment of citizens, various offenses.

It was brought to attention that necessary measures are taken for reconstruction of places of temporary detention according to modern standards, created necessary conditions for carrying out by observers from government and non-governmental organizations of free and unrestricted monitoring in places of temporary detention. It was noted that for the last five years 1697 monitoring were carried out in places of temporary detention.

Co-reporters expressed gratitude for the detailed information about the carried-out work in the field of protection of the rights and freedoms of the person.