On December 22, Mr. Fikrat Mammadov, the Minister of Justice met with the President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) Mykola Gnatovsky and other representatives of the Committee in Azerbaijan in a video conference.
During the meeting, information was provided on the reforms implemented in the penitentiary system under the leadership of the President Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the humanization of penal policy, as well as measures taken against the COVID-19 pandemic and the works done on the recommendations of the CPT.
There were stressed the humanitarian measures to protect the lives and health of convicts and defendants, including the release of the majority of prisoners over the age of 65 who are at higher risk of contracting the virus by presidential pardon, the early conditional release of about 2,400 prisoners, 822 people were released under home arrest and under other alternative measures of restraint. According to the new legislation on humanization of penal policy, more than 5,300 convicts have been completely released or their sentences have been reduced in the past period. It was stated that the courts prefer alternative punishments to imprisonment each year, for which electronic wristbands are widely used.
During the video conference, the results of CPT's visits to our country, the implementation of the Committee's recommendations, the protection of the rights and freedoms of persons deprived of their liberty, the improvement of detention conditions, medical and other benefits and other issues of interest were discussed.
The event was attended by Vice-Minister of Justice - Chief of the Penitentiary Service Mr. Jeyhun Hasanov, Chief of the Inspection on Control over execution of punishments Mr. Malik Alakbarov and Chief of the International Cooperation Department Mr. Adil Abilov.
