Azerbaijan faces 90 tough questions by UN Committee against Torture

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United Nations Committee against Torture began on Wednesday, November 11, a 2-day debate on a report on Azerbaijan in Geneva, according to Contact.az.

A delegation of senior officials from Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Justice, General Prosecutor's Office, the Prison Service, Ministry of Health, the Parliament and other structures reportedly represent Baku at the session.

The Committee continued discussions on Thursday, with the session participants scheduled to ask the Azeri delegates 90 questions on the situation of human rights in the country. Questions concerning the arrest of the REAL leader Ilgar Mamedov despite the ECHR ruling on his release, use of pressure against the arrested human rights defenders Leyla and Arif Yunusov, the torture and consequent death of Turaj Zeynalov in Nakhchivan’s National Security Ministry were raised during the discussion.

The police involvement in trafficking and sexual exploitation, harassment of civil society activists and other issues were also addressed at the session.

No information is currently available on the Azerbaijani delegates’ response.

Earlier, Human Rights Watch urged the UN Committee to condemn the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities, urging them to put an end to the repression and release all political prisoners.