Azerbaijan, Baku, April 2 / Trend A. Huseynbala /
Keeping of more prisoners in one prison cell than envisaged, can be equated to torture, Azerbaijani ombudsman said.
"The unlawful actions towards suspects, detainees or accused, the pressure on them, poor conditions of detention in remand prisons must be regarded as a humiliation," the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Elmira Suleymanova said, speaking in the Azerbaijani Parliament with a report of 2009.
Last year the Ombudsman and members of the staff conducted 294 monitoring in remand prisons of urban and regional offices, departments, detention cells for administrative prisoners of the Head Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, temporary remand prisons of the Head Department for Combating Organized Crime, 108 monitoring of remand prisons of the Ministry of Justice, two monitoring in the remand prisons of the Ministry of National Security.
"Prisoners mostly complained about the course of the investigation and judicial rulings. Appeals with remarks and suggestions for removing the identified violations and deficiencies to the chiefs of departments and police departments, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Justice," the ombudsman said.
As a result of these appeals, some staff members who have committed violations were brought to administrative responsibility. Activities were undertaken to remove revealed deficiencies. "Appeals to the Azerbaijani Parliament and the Ministry of Finance were made in connection with the proposal to increase costs to improve the nutrition and medical care of prisoners, revise relevant regulations and take into account these issues when discussing the bill on the State Budget for 2010," the ombudsman said.
Despite the reduction of offenses and bureaucratic arbitrariness while giving ordinary passports and identity cards, there are some difficulties in some cases. "There are some problems in connection with the issuance and extension of validity of permits for temporary residence for foreigners and stateless people, registration of foreign passports or equivalent documents in connection with the renewal of this registration", the Commissioner for Human Rights said.
The report also noted that one of the main responsibilities of a democratic state is to create favorable conditions to protect honor, dignity and business reputation, as well as respect for freedom of thought and speech, and for healthy, legitimate criticism. "The basis of these issues is reflected in the Constitution. However, there is a need for more precise regulation of these issues by relevant laws", Suleymanova said. The Ombudsman welcomed the draft law on defamation, prepared by the Institute of Media Rights.
In 2009, more than 700 religious communities submitted their documents to pass re-registration in accordance with the new rules. About 232 communities have already passed state registration. Import and distribution of books led to violation of freedom of conscience and instability in the society. Some religious structures or communities want to sow religious discord in the country. Involvement of school-age children to perform religious rites in Baku or any other part of the country, activity of various religious sects create conditions for breaches of the law in the country ", Suleymanova said.
In 2009, Ombudsman received 8,800 appeals, of which 7,365 complaints, 982 were submitted to the judicial authorities, 415 - Public Prosecutor's Office, 1,239 - Police, 688 - local executive authorities. About 441 complaints relate to the non-fulfillment of judicial decisions, 205 - with the municipalities.