Immediately repatriate all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan. report to the UN Committee against Torture

The Foundation for the Development of Democracy, the NGO "Protection of Rights Without Borders", the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, the Foundation for the Development and Protection of Rights, and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) presented a joint report to the UN Committee against Torture, Azerbaijan Ahead of the consideration of the 5th periodic report of the Republic.

"The UN Committee against Torture is a body of 10 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by States Parties. The Committee holds states accountable for human rights violations by investigating reports of torture.

The report of the civil society organizations refers to the fulfillment of Azerbaijan's obligations in the direction of preventing torture and combating it, particularly the cases of torture and ill-treatment of Armenians on the basis of ethnic discrimination.

"After the last observation, the situation of human rights in Azerbaijan has significantly worsened. In addition to crackdowns on dissent, media repression, disproportionate restrictions on fundamental freedoms, torture, and arbitrary internal detention, Azerbaijan has launched a series of military attacks against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. The use of force was combined with gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including torture, the 9-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, intimidation of the local Armenian population, which led to the forced displacement of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023," the report says.

The organizations noted that since the fourth periodic review, Azerbaijan has not implemented the Committee's recommendations to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to the ongoing problem of torture and the practice of impunity.

In the report, the organizations included a number of recommendations regarding the fulfillment of Azerbaijan's obligations, in particular demanding the immediate repatriation of all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, conducting an independent, urgent investigation into the cases of killing, torture and ill-treatment of Armenian prisoners in the context of the 2020-2023 military operations, and holding them accountable for these tortures. to the culprits and to provide additional clear information regarding the steps to investigate the cases of alleged torture and ill-treatment, as well as to ensure unimpeded communication with the lawyer of their choice and family members for the Armenian prisoners.

The above-mentioned civil society organizations have long-standing experience in combating torture through monitoring, reporting and advocacy," the statement said.