Head of OSCE Baku office: "Juvenile courts should be created in Azerbaijan"

The due announcement was made by head of OSCE Baku office Jose-Luis Herrero at a conference on reforms held in Azerbaijan in the sphere of juvenile justice in 2006-2008.

He said Azerbaijan should further follow the way of creation of rehabilitation centers for children, who committed crimes, Moreover, there is a need for creation of children's legal clinics in the country with one of them created in Azerbaijan on September 15 of 2007 by ombudsman's office, UNICEF Baku office, OSCE Baku office, British Embasy, Alliance of NGOs on human rights and Legal Public Association "Legal World".

The works on propaganda of rights of children and enlightenment in this sphere are arranged in this clinics, with conditions created for cooperation of juvenile lawyers, legal assistance provided to children and necessary protection of children's rights provided in courts and others.

"Certainly, this is not the only recommendation in this issue. I think the functioning of children's clinics will thus become a stimulus in creation of a more reliable basis in the sphere of protection of children's rights in the legal system of Azerbaijan and participation of representatives of the Lawyers' collegium in these issues.

We hope that juvenile courts will start operating in Azerbaijan in the framework of the conducted reforms and special juvenile facilities will be created in the investigation facilities of the penitentiary system. We should realize that juvenile delinquencies are the actions of not a separate child. These are the result of due upbringing.

Therefore, elder people who create this system are also responsible for the actions of a child. We should understand that there is a great difference between ordinary justice and juvenile justice.

I think Azerbaijan has come to this understanding. I would like to stress the success of works, conducted in this sphere and I do hope that special importance will be attached to the formation of the juvenile justice in Azerbaijan", said OSCE representative in Azerbaijan Jose-Luis Herrero.

/Day.Az/