Azerbaijan refused to cooperate with another European institution
Azerbaijan refuses to cooperate with the CPT
The president of PACE has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately restore cooperation with the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). The Azerbaijani authorities have refused to cooperate, accusing the CPT of violating the requirements of the European Convention and publishing the country report without prior agreement with the Azerbaijani government.
“In the current harsh political climate, where repressive measures have reached their peak, it is not surprising that the relevant state bodies of Azerbaijan ignore the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and are not interested in dialogue,” said an Azerbaijani human rights defender.
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“I deeply regret the decision of the Azerbaijani authorities to refuse cooperation with the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which led to the unprecedented cancellation of a planned CPT visit. I am also concerned about the findings of the CPT’s report on their special visit to Azerbaijan,” stated PACE president Theodoros Roussopoulos on July 3.
He urged the Azerbaijani authorities to reconsider their decision and immediately restore cooperation and constructive dialogue with the CPT.
“This will not only help improve overall relations with the Council of Europe but also serve the fundamental interests of Azerbaijani citizens.
Our Assembly remains fully committed to continuing dialogue with the parliament and government of Azerbaijan to address all outstanding issues,” noted the PACE president.
Earlier the same day, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) issued a public statement on Azerbaijan. This statement was made in accordance with Article 10 (2) of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
“The reason for this exceptional decision to make a public statement is the direct refusal of the Azerbaijani authorities to cooperate with the CPT,” the committee explained.
“The Committee has made sincere efforts to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Azerbaijani authorities to address issues at the core of the European Convention against Torture. In its visit reports, the CPT has detailed ongoing reports of ill-treatment and even torture by police officers. However, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs has taken no action to implement the Committee’s longstanding recommendations to end such practices,” the Council of Europe’s press service stated.
“Given the seriousness of the issues related to ill-treatment and torture by law enforcement officers against detainees,” the CPT also decided to publish its report on a special visit to Azerbaijan in 2022 as an annex to the public statement.
In the 38-page report, the delegation “again received numerous allegations of severe physical ill-treatment/torture of detainees to extract confessions.”
“The types of alleged ill-treatment/torture included slaps, punches, kicks, and blows with batons or wooden sticks.
The delegation also received several allegations of beatings on the soles of the feet (known as ‘falaka’). Additionally, there were reports of threats of rape with bottles and the use of electric shocks. There were also threats of harm to detainees’ relatives, including criminal prosecution.
Physical violence was typically accompanied by verbal abuse,” the press release stated.
On July 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan issued a response statement. According to the ministry, the publication of the CPT report without Azerbaijan’s consent is unjust and unfounded.
“We are deeply saddened by the decision of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to issue a public statement on Azerbaijan,” said MFA spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade.
He also mentioned that the CPT published the full report prepared following a special visit conducted in 2022 without Azerbaijan’s consent, contrary to the requirements of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
“Such an approach is unfair and baseless, as well as legally questionable,” stated Aykhan Hajizade.
Deputy Fazil Mustafa, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE, considers this decision of the committee biased.
“Azerbaijan categorically rejects this. If there are any specific facts, we are ready to conduct an investigation, even though we are not affiliated with this Council of Europe committee. This is our duty because human rights are one of our highest priorities domestically. We do this not for the Council of Europe. We view this in the context of our relationship with our own citizens. Protecting their rights is one of our most important priorities,” the deputy told Voice of America.
Executive director of the human rights organization “Line of Defense,” Rufat Safarov, informed Voice of America that physical and moral violence, torture, and inhuman treatment are common methods employed by law enforcement agencies in Azerbaijan.
“We have reached a point where state authorities openly and, in some cases, demonstratively engage in such unlawful acts of violence. Official Baku has clearly stated that it stands outside the authoritative political and legal mechanisms of Europe and aligns with the political standards of Central Asia, the League of Arab States, and the Turkic States Union,” Safarov said.
The human rights defender added that, especially after Azerbaijan’s delegation withdrew from PACE, the demands and reports of the Council of Europe and its individual human rights structures have become secondary for the government:
“In the current harsh political climate, where repressive measures have reached their peak, it is not surprising that the relevant state authorities in Azerbaijan ignore the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Committee against Torture and are not interested in dialogue“.
In January, during the winter session of PACE, Azerbaijan’s delegation’s credentials were not ratified, and its participation in the Council of Europe’s assembly was suspended for a period of one year.
PACE justified this decision by citing the severe deterioration of human rights in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s disregard for its obligations, and its refusal to cooperate with the organization. 76 PACE deputies from 26 countries voted in favor of a resolution calling for Azerbaijan’s exclusion from the Assembly.
However, prior to the vote on this matter, Azerbaijan’s delegation announced that it was withdrawing from the PACE session itself. Azerbaijani deputies noted that the non-ratification of their credentials was part of a biased campaign against Azerbaijan.
