Azernews.Az

BAKU – The number of appeals filed to the Azerbaijani Ombudsman’s office in 2010 increased 32 percent to 11,660, the senior rights defender told parliament Friday.

Ombudsperson Elmira Suleymanova said in a report assessing the country’s human rights record in 2010 that the rising number of appeals by the year was due to citizens’ increasing confidence in the ombudsman’s office and better public awareness.

She said her office had reviewed complaints mainly concerning demolition of illegally built properties, utilities and the work of the traffic police. 1,041 of the complaints received pertained to cases of corruption and bribery.

The ombudsman’s report said Azerbaijan’s interior bodies reported 174 violations of human rights and freedoms. 51 of these cases concerned abuse, while 38 related to unfounded detentions, 46 baselessly taking people to police precincts, 22 violations of drivers’ rights, and 5 cases of baseless prosecution. 276 police workers were held accountable over violations, with 18 of them dismissed from interior bodies, while 20 others lost their jobs, and the remaining 238 faced punitive action.

The report also said there were complaints citing alleged attempts by some investigators to cover up crimes, with 529 enquiries concerning such appeals sent to the interior ministry. It said that in some cases, law enforcement agencies failed to register crimes, police officers unlawfully used force against citizens and there was red tape in reviewing citizens’ pleas.

The ombudsman filed 24 appeals to the interior ministry over cases of torture, inhumane or degrading treatment of people in 2010. The ministry said the allegations had not been confirmed.

The report also said a scrutiny into 163 complaints concerning traffic police revealed that there had been cases of abuse of drivers, unprofessional conduct and police officers’ prompting drivers to pay money exceeding the designated fines.

MP Zahid Oruj of pro-government Ana Vatan party praised the ombudsman’s report, saying it comprehensively reflects upon the efforts made to protect human rights in Azerbaijan. He added that the report contains more criticism than the ones issued in previous years.

But chairman of opposition Umid (Hope) Party, Igbal Agazada, criticized the report, charging that "not the ombudsman’s feedback but that of a branch of executive power is sensed in it".

The report was approved in parliament by a 105-1 vote.