Torture cases on the rise, rights defender claims
The number of torture cases rises in Azerbaijan by the year but no
one is being held responsible for this, a rights defender has
claimed.
Leyla Yunus, who heads the Institute of Peace and Democracy, believes that this trend has prompted the public to take action. About 30 non-governmental organizations have co-signed a letter claiming torture cases and sent it to the heads of numerous influential international organizations, including the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Union.
The letter says that whereas 40 people were subjected to torture in 2006, 136 such cases were reported in 2009. In the past four years, over 30 people died of torture, the NGOs said.
Yunus maintained that such instances often occur in Azerbaijan’s power-wielding agencies and the armed forces.
"The Criminal Code contains a provision on tortures. Despite facts of torture, no one has faced these charges so far. This provision is dead," the rights defender said.
The letter co-signatories did not confine to enumerating what was described as torture cases. They suggested that the Azerbaijani government be called upon to allow free access of civil society and media representatives to the places where torture is alleged. Also it was proposed to arrange an independent forensic expertise so that victims of torture would be able to have their evidence corroborated.
The letter also urged that the names of officials linked to alleged torture cited in Azerbaijani rights champions’ reports be also included in the reports released by international organizations.*
Leyla Yunus, who heads the Institute of Peace and Democracy, believes that this trend has prompted the public to take action. About 30 non-governmental organizations have co-signed a letter claiming torture cases and sent it to the heads of numerous influential international organizations, including the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Union.
The letter says that whereas 40 people were subjected to torture in 2006, 136 such cases were reported in 2009. In the past four years, over 30 people died of torture, the NGOs said.
Yunus maintained that such instances often occur in Azerbaijan’s power-wielding agencies and the armed forces.
"The Criminal Code contains a provision on tortures. Despite facts of torture, no one has faced these charges so far. This provision is dead," the rights defender said.
The letter co-signatories did not confine to enumerating what was described as torture cases. They suggested that the Azerbaijani government be called upon to allow free access of civil society and media representatives to the places where torture is alleged. Also it was proposed to arrange an independent forensic expertise so that victims of torture would be able to have their evidence corroborated.
The letter also urged that the names of officials linked to alleged torture cited in Azerbaijani rights champions’ reports be also included in the reports released by international organizations.*
Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention.
Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis.
By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more.
Subscribe
You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper
Thank you!