HRC Calls on UN Agencies to Step up Pressure on the Government of Azerbaijan

Human Rights Council (HRC) has expressed concern about the situation of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, and the freedom of assembly. HRC called on UN agencies through the Universal Periodic Report (UPR) to increase pressure on Azerbaijani authorities to implement international obligations in the field of human rights.

HRC expressed this position on March 27 at the Geneva talks leading up to discussions concerning the analysis of the practice of UN bodies concerning Azerbaijan's human rights. On April 30, the Human Rights Council will discuss the UN Universal Periodic Report on Azerbaijan. This will be the second time that Azerbaijan has been discussed by the Human Rights Council. In addition, on 3 May, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is to consider the situation in Azerbaijan, to meet the obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

"In recent years, Azerbaijan has further deteriorated the situation with the implementation of international commitments on human rights. We view the consideration of two periodic review of Azerbaijan as an opportunity to influence the government in order to more responsible to fulfill its international obligations," said the head of the HRC Rasul Jafarov.

On March 27, at the session that precedes the discussion of the Universal Periodic report Jafarov urged the UN Council on Human Rights to make recommendations that Azerbaijani authorities fulfill their obligations arising from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to improve laws and practices in the field of freedom of assembly and solve the problem of political prisoners.

CPC in its report also advised about the situation with property rights and freedom of expression and made proposals on recommendations to be put forward to solve the problem. -03D06 –