Report of the UPR Working Group on Azerbaijan accepted
Baku, Sept 21 (AZERTAC). Report of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group on Azerbaijan has been accepted in Geneva.
As stated, speaking in the discussion were China, the Council of Europe, Cuba, Djibouti, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, United Nations Children's Fund, United Arab Emirates, Armenia and the United States on behalf of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Also speaking were the following non-governmental organizations: Human Rights House Foundation; Human Rights Watch; Verein Südwind Entwicklungspolitik, Action Canada for Population and Development; Amnesty International; Reporters without Borders; International Fellowship of Reconciliation; CIVICUS; and United Schools International.
The Council then adopted the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review of Azerbaijan.
Khalaf Khalafov, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, said that 158 recommendations had been fully or partially adopted by Azerbaijan out of the 162 recommendations received. The Government would make sure that the recommendations accepted would be implemented. The Government of Azerbaijan did not accept four recommendations out of 162 and its position had been expressed in the written document submitted to the Council. These recommendations reflected the aggressive policy of Armenia that had been pursuing an ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis since 1988. The occupation by Armenia of 20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s territory was the main problem of Azerbaijan in the field of human rights.
In the discussion on Azerbaijan, speakers welcomed progress made by Azerbaijan in promoting and protecting human rights and appreciated its positive response to recommendations made. Points of satisfaction from speakers included Azerbaijan’s commitment to improve social protection for migrants and protect the rights of children, particularly its work to eradicate marriages involving children. Other speakers noted that Azerbaijan was not doing enough to tackle corruption and expressed concern that freedom of expression was threatened as the Government restricted opposition voices in the run up to a presidential election in October.
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