Statement by Mr. Shahriyar Hajiyev, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations at the General Assembly High-level debate on “A second chance: addressing the global prison challenge”
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Azərbaycan Respublikasının |
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Permanent Mission |
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633 Third Avenue, Suite 3210, New York, N.Y. 10017 |
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Statement by Mr. Shahriyar Hajiyev, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations at the General Assembly High-level debate on “A second chance: addressing the global prison challenge” to mark the Tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)
Thank you, Mr. Vice-President, We would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s high-level debate to mark the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, universally known as the Nelson Mandela Rules. Believing in the importance of objectives such as rehabilitation, the prevention of reoffending, and the reintegration of prisoners into society, the Government of Azerbaijan continues to implement a range of measures to ensure that imprisonment serves these objectives. Every effort is made by the relevant state authorities to establish and maintain conditions that respect human dignity, security, and the legally guaranteed rights of convicted and detained individuals. In this regard, the reform of prisons and the modernisation of their infrastructure, the protection of prisoners’ rights, and the humanisation of punishment remain key priorities. The Government continues to take steps toward progress in these areas in line with international standards. Appropriate conditions are ensured for convicted and detained individuals to hold confidential consultations with their legal representatives and to maintain contact with their families, including children. They are also permitted to make video calls to relatives. In addition to receiving this information upon admission to pre-trial detention and penitentiary facilities, detainees are also informed of their rights and obligations through distributed posters and booklets. Mr. Vice-President, We would like also to emphasize that in relation to the allegations announced in today’s meeting by Armenia regarding the ethnic Armenians about whom court proceedings are continued in our country, it would suffice to mention the Opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention dated November 2024 and the appeal of Armenia that was dismissed by the International Court of Justice in April 2025. The mentioned decisions essentially meant rejection by the UN Working Group and the ICJ, the claims of Armenia with regard to the alleged violations put forward by this country, around the detention and treatment of ethnic Armenians held in Azerbaijan. It should be mentioned that those individuals, who are, in reality, members of the illegally established regime by Armenia in the formerly occupied sovereign territories of Azerbaijan and are accused of committing grave breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL) and other serious violations under international law. Bringing the individuals accused of committing war crimes and other grave breaches and violations of IHL is what states should do in accordance with their IHL obligations, and Azerbaijan is committed to its obligations under IHL, including holding persons responsible for committing war crimes. However, evading its state responsibility, Armenia has not taken any accountability measures regarding the crimes committed by its nationals against the people of Azerbaijan during its armed aggression both in the 1990s and in late 2020, maintaining a culture of impunity, which hinders the normalisation process in the post-conflict period. Mr. Vice President, The National Preventive Mechanism, established under the Office of the Ombudsman, plays a vital role in conducting regular inspections to assess conditions of detention, treatment in facilities, and the overall protection of detainees’ rights. Furthermore, the establishment of the Probation Service under the Ministry of Justice in 2018—aimed at facilitating the effective enforcement of non-custodial sentences—was commended by the UN Committee Against Torture in 2024 for strengthening the protection of human rights and advancing the implementation of the Convention in Azerbaijan. Expanded access to legal aid and improved medical and psychological services are also provided within the penitentiary system. It is important to emphasise that the effective social reintegration and adaptation of sentenced prisoners are equally significant. In cooperation with the Social Services Agency, penitentiary institutions in Azerbaijan carry out various programs to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. Mr. Vice-President, It is deeply concerning that in some Non-Self-Governing Territories, overcrowding, the disproportionate incarceration of members of specific groups, ill-treatment, and the frequent use of solitary confinement against local individuals remain systemic practices carried out by certain administering powers. In conclusion, we would like to reiterate Azerbaijan’s continued commitment to upholding human dignity and to applying sentences of imprisonment in a manner that supports the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. Azerbaijan stands ready to engage in international cooperation and exchange best practices in this regard. I thank you.
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