“The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan considers the allegations voiced at a press conference held in Armenia on September 4 that persons of Armenian origin convicted for crimes they committed were subjected to discrimination in Azerbaijan on the grounds of their religious affiliation, tortured, had Christian religious symbols destroyed, were not allowed to use the Bible and were forced to read the Quran to be unfounded and biased, and regards them as an attempt aimed at disrupting the ongoing peace talks,” Azerbaijani Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva said in response to allegations voiced by an Armenian human rights defender, APA reports.
It was noted that presenting such serious accusations to the public as facts without providing any credible evidence is incompatible with the principles of human rights protection:
“In particular, attempts to link issues concerning individual persons to religious affiliation and shift them into the context of a Christian-Muslim confrontation are unacceptable. Azerbaijan is a multinational and multiconfessional secular state. The country ensures an equal approach to the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to different religious denominations and respects their freedom of religion. It is unacceptable to link criminal responsibility established by a court to individuals’ ethnic origin and to present the punishment lawfully imposed on those persons for the acts they committed as ‘ethnic or religious persecution.’ Criminal responsibility is determined not by a person’s ethnic origin or religious belief, but by the nature of the act committed, the evidence collected in relation to that act, and the court’s legal assessment.
During monitoring visits conducted at various times by the Ombudsman’s National Preventive Group, confidential meetings were held with persons of Armenian origin detained in Azerbaijan, their medical and psychological conditions were assessed, and their rights and freedoms enshrined in international documents were explained to them in their native language. During the monitoring, it was established that the rights and freedoms of those persons were ensured in accordance with international standards and without discrimination, and that they had access to medical assistance and other necessary services. In this regard, the Ombudsman particularly emphasizes the need to distinguish activities in the field of human rights protection from statements serving political purposes and confrontational rhetoric. Making serious accusations such as ‘torture,’ ‘religious persecution,’ and discrimination on the grounds of religious affiliation without relying on verified facts serves to mislead public opinion, disrupt peace talks, and create confrontation on religious grounds.”
It was stated that such irresponsible approaches are particularly concerning against the backdrop of the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia:
“Lasting peace is possible not only through political and legal agreements, but also by strengthening trust between societies and refraining from rhetoric of intolerance and hatred. Presenting unverified information on religious grounds deepens mistrust between societies and damages the environment necessary for peace and reconciliation.
The protection of human rights does not accept the distortion of facts for political purposes or the creation of an image of an enemy based on religious affiliation. Those working in this field should be responsible in their statements, rely on objective and verified facts, and refrain from rhetoric that could undermine peace and mutual trust.”
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