Azerbaijani Ombudsman participates in online Meeting of OIC Ombudsman Association

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, participated in the online meeting of the Executive Board of the Ombudsman Association of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC OA), Azernews reports, citing the press service of the Ombudsman’s Office.

The Office noted that the meeting discussed the Association’s action plan for 2025 and future areas of cooperation in the field of human rights.

In her speech at the meeting, Ombudsman Aliyeva reflected on the work carried out within the Association in the past year, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in solving global human rights issues. She highlighted that ombudsman institutions must play an active role in defending human rights and stressed the need for joint efforts to combat violations of international law.

Aliyeva drew attention to the severe consequences of armed conflicts on individuals, particularly noting that women, children, and the elderly are the most affected by such crises. She expressed regret over the disregard for international law standards in these situations and emphasized that ombudsmen must work together to address such violations.

One of the key issues raised by the Ombudsman was forced migration, a major challenge in today’s world. Aliyeva reminded the participants that as a result of Armenia's ethnic cleansing policy, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were forced to flee their homeland, with their fundamental rights being violated. She provided details on measures being taken to protect the rights of these people and ensure their return to their native lands.

The Ombudsman also underlined the necessity of conducting awareness-raising activities on forced migration within the framework of the OIC OA this year. She stressed that these initiatives are crucial in promoting and protecting human rights.

The meeting continued with mutual exchanges of views and discussions.