Azernews.Az

The number of corruption and bribery-related complaints filed by Azerbaijani citizens to the Ombudsman’s office increased 30.6 percent to 797 in 2011, the senior rights defender said in an annual report.

According to Elmira Suleymanova’s report, along with alleged unlawful actions and violations committed by government officials, the complaints expressed citizens’ discontent with the work of some state bodies and institutions responsible for ensuring compliance with the law and protection of their rights from the legal point of view.

The Ombudsman sent over a hundred queries to prosecution bodies over the complaints pertaining to corruption and bribery last year. Criminal charges were filed over one of the cases; relevant measures were taken regarding 21 other cases; 11 of the complaints were sent to courts; 43 of the pleas were denied consideration as criminal cases; 22 complaints were supplemented to the criminal cases already under consideration; and investigation into five of the cases is underway.

The Ombudsman cited instances of bribery in medical examination commissions of commissariats and in drafting units proper, pointing to the need for tightening control in this area and taking due action.

The report also contains suggestions on making structural changes in the utilities sector, abolishing housing exploitation departments and transferring their credentials to municipalities. Also, the senior rights defender noted, it is necessary to improve the process of designating and providing direct social assistance to citizens.