Azerbaijan reacts to CPT statement 

ArmInfo.Azerbaijan refutes criticism of Council of Europe's Committee for Prevention of Torture 

and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in its public statement, the statement of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

''We deeply regret that the Council of Europe's Committee for the 

Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or 

Punishment (CPT) has decided to issue a public statement concerning 

Azerbaijan on 3 July 2024. CPT has also taken an unprecedented 

decision to publish the whole report prepared following its ad hoc 

visit of 2022, without the proper consent of Azerbaijan as it is 

required by the European Convention against Torture and Inhuman or 

Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Such an approach is unfair, 

unjustified, and legally questionable.

Since 2002 the CPT has conducted multiple periodic and ad hoc visits 

and published reports on the implementation of the Convention by 

Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has provided the government's response on 

every point mentioned in the reports. Moreover, as also noted in the 

public statement, appropriate steps have been taken to remedy 

relevant imperfections, and the Committee's recommendations have 

always been taken into account.

Throughout the years of cooperation, the Committee has been provided 

with the necessary support on its visits to date. Not only have its 

investigations on the spot been facilitated, but steps have been 

taken to ensure that the delegation members are received at the 

highest possible level and every effort has been made to strengthen 

the foundations of co-operation.

It is especially unfortunate that this decision has been taken in the 

present situation of relations between Azerbaijan and the Council of 

Europe created following the biased decision by the Parliamentary 

Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) not to ratify the 

credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE in January 2024.

We reject the criticisms in the public statement, which are leveled 

at some state institutions, holding them responsible rather than 

engaging in constructive cooperation.

Azerbaijan is making great progress not only in the protection of 

persons deprived of their liberty but also in bringing relevant 

practices up to commonly accepted standards,'' the statement reads.

The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and 

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has issued a 

public statement on Azerbaijan. This Statement, which is made in 

application of Article 10 (2) of the Convention establishing the 

Committee, addresses the persistent lack of cooperation by the 

Azerbaijani authorities with the CPT.

The reason behind this exceptional decision to make a public 

statement is the outright refusal of the Azerbaijani authorities to 

cooperate with the CPT. The Committee made genuine attempts to engage 

in a constructive dialogue with the Azerbaijani authorities to 

address matters that lie at the heart of the CPT's raison d'etre. The 

CPT has detailed in its visit reports that it continues to receive 

allegations of severe acts of ill-treatment and even of torture by 

police officers. Yet, no action has been taken by the Ministry of 

Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan to implement the Committee's 

long-standing recommendations to end such practices. Further, the 

Committee received no responses to the letters from its President to 

promote dialogue through holding high-level talks in Baku or even 

following the notification of a visit to the Azerbaijani authorities. 

This represents a fundamental and unprecedented breach of the 

Convention.

Given the seriousness of the issues at stake, relating to 

ill-treatment and even torture by law enforcement officials of 

detained persons, the CPT has also decided to publish the report on 

the 2022 ad hoc visit to Azerbaijan as an annex to the public 

statement.

As is made clear in the public statement, the Committee hopes that 

the lack of cooperation does not lead to a permanent rupture in 

relations with the Azerbaijani authorities. The CPT stands ready to 

support the authorities to take decisive steps to uphold the 

fundamental values to which Azerbaijan, as a member state of the 

Council of Europe, has subscribed. In furtherance of its mandate, the 

Committee is fully committed to pursuing a dialogue with the 

Azerbaijani authorities to this end.