On June 26, humanity marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. This crime, which is prohibited by international law, and which cannot be justified in any circumstance continues to be a challenge to the collective efforts of states and international law to prevent and punish crimes against humanity. The provision of the necessary assistance to the victims and survivors of this inhuman crime, and members of their families should be a direct obligation of States who have undertaken international obligations for the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Despite the well-developed international and national legal regulations and institutional systems, modern conflicts and hostilities pose even greater and currently unaddressed risks for crimes of torture and ill-treatment; specifically, during the 44-day war, many of our compatriots were subjected to torture, extrajudicial killings and other forms of inhuman treatment by the Azerbaijani armed forces. In violation of international obligations, the representatives of the Azerbaijani authorities subjected Armenian prisoner of war and civilian captives kept in Baku to torture and inhuman treatment.
In this regard, the delayed assessment by international standards or its complete absence conveys the grave risk of normalizing such crimes in the context of other conflicts. Unfortunately, delayed assessment result in loss of human lives and destroyed destinies.
Being a National Prevention Mechanism, the Human Rights Defender has always raised and presented the issues related to the domestic policy and practice with its annual and ad hoc reports and statements.
The requirement of an absolute ban on all forms of torture and ill-treatment includes all the needs of persons in places of deprivation of liberty, such as the insufficient conditions in penitentiary institutions, the shortcomings in medical care and services, the absolute inefficiency of rehabilitation and re-socialization services after serving a sentence, as well as the use of illegal methods of restraint in psychiatric institutions.
The Human Rights Defender reiterates the need for the state to take concrete steps to respond quickly and adequately to cases of torture, to bring those responsible to justice after an effective investigation, as well as to take effective steps in the direction of prevention of torture in the country, including through providing individual psychological and social-rehabilitation services to the survivors of torture and their family members.
In this regard, the non-pecuniary compensation for the violation of the absolute right not be subjected to torture and inhuman treatment remains incomplete in our country.
Today provided us with another opportunity to discuss these issues and to find institutional solutions, by cooperating with civil society organizations that have been active in the field for many years.
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