The Ombudsman Institute was established on 28 December 2001 under the Constitutional Law “on the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan” (the Constitutional Law).

The mission of the Ombudsman is to restore the human rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the international treaties to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party, which have been violated by governmental or local bodies and officials of the Republic of Azerbaijan and to prevent the violation of human rights in cases envisaged by the Constitutional Law.

In practice, the Commissioner and her staff develop new methods and tools for better protecting human rights in different areas, such as children rights, the rights of the refugees, IDPs and migrants, the rights of the persons with disabilities, the rights of elderly people, the rights of detainees, the rights of military servants as well as on gender equality, trafficking in persons and corruption.

Since the ratification in 2008 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, the Institute of the Commissioner for Human Rights fulfills the function of Monitoring body under CRPD Art 33(2)s.

Since 2009 the Institute of the Commissioner for Human Rights is also fulfilling the functions of the national preventive mechanism (NPM) implied by the article 18 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).

The Commissioner also oversees the fulfillment of the obligations enshrined in the law on “Access to Information” by the state agencies, local governments and officials.

The Ombudsman Institute leads the activity of the working group on the implementation of the National Program for Action to Raise Effectiveness of the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Ombudsman is also a member of the national action group for the implementation of “Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future” Concept of Development (in compliance with the SDGs.)

Head of institution

Ms Sabina Aliyeva

Website

www.ombudsman.gov.az

Address

Üzeyir Hacıbəyov, Bakı AZ 1000, Azerbaijan

Year of establishment

2002

Accreditation status

B

Year of first accreditation

2006

Year of latest accreditation

2012

Number of staff

80

Regional offices

4

Mandate(s)

  • Ombuds
  • National Preventive Mechanism under OPCAT Art. 3 (NPM)
  • Monitoring body under CRPD Art 33(2)
  • Supervisory body under the Law on Access to information (oversees the execution of duties by the information holding state bodies, municipalities and state officials)

Core functions

  • Monitoring
  • Publishing research, recommendations, opinions
  • Reporting to international and regional human rights mechanisms
  • Complaints handling
  • Legal Assistance
  • Advising government, parliament and other public bodies
  • Supporting the work of human rights defenders
  • Cooperation with civil society organisations
  • Human rights education and training
  • Access to information
  • Awareness raising activities