POLITICS
THOMAS HAMMARBERG MEETS AZERBAIJAN’S JUSTICE MINISTER
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, who is in Azerbaijan for a 5-day high-level visit to assess the human rights situation, met Tuesday the country`s Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov.
Hammarberg highly appreciated the National Action Plan on protection of human rights approved by Azerbaijan president last year.
He praised the country`s judicial and legal reforms.
The top official of the Council of Europe said throughout his visit he had been in several detention centers, including Gobustan prison.
Minister Mammadov, in his turn, briefed the visitor on democratic changes in the country, development of justice bodies and improvement of the penitentiary system.
The Minister also informed the COE Commissioner on what has been done to fight against corruption in Azerbaijan.
Mammadov and Hammarberg also discussed human rights situation in the country, including conditions of detentions, freedom of expression and treatment of IDPs left homeless by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.