The first meeting of the Milli Majlis Human Rights Committee in the 2021 spring session took place on 21 September.  

Committee Chairman Zahid Oruj told the participants that the two-item agenda had to do with the performance report covering the 2021 spring and extraordinary sessions and with the 2021 autumn-session action plan.  

In the past period, the Committee had been engaged in efficient activities; ten committee meetings had been held to discuss 16 issues. The Committee had recommended the submission of 6 Bills to the Milli Majlis and had heard the 2020 report by the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Azerbaijan Republic and the anti-human trade information presented by the National Co-ordinator of the Struggle against Human Trafficking of the Azerbaijan Republic. In addition, there had been an online session on the bar practice, conducted together with the Bar Collegium, and a meeting with the human rights NGOs. The Committee members had addressed important current issues in mass media and social networks and had met with constituents, according to Zahid Oruj.  

The Committee received 515 appeals and complaints in the period in question; some issues were resolved. The Committee also received 195 citizens, both online and in the ordinary way.  

The performance report narrative was followed by the presentation of the autumn-session work plan. It follows from that plan that the forthcoming parliamentary sessions will see the Committee deliberate upon the Bills arrived at the Milli Majlis in the context of legislative initiatives, consider amendments to a number of effective laws with a view to streamlining the existing legislation and organise a hearing on raising with the international entities the questions of the harm done through the occupation by the armed forces of Armenia, the damage dealt to the Azerbaijani State and the protection of the infringed-upon rights of the citizens of our country.  

What else is coming up is an exchange of opinions with the Human Rights Commissioner and the Media Development Agency about the current condition and development strategy of mass and social media. The scope set for the autumn session also includes promotion of the co-operation with international organisations and human rights NGOs and the enlightenment to be waged by the Committee members to avert household violence. Also, the Committee members are going to contribute energetically to the drafting of Bills on protection of the citizens’ rights in the digital space.  

Thoughts and proposals respective the topicality of the meeting were put forth by the Committee members Hikmat Mammadov, Tahir Karimli, Fazil Mustafa, Bahrouz Maharramov, Naghif Hamzayev, Elshad Mirbashiroglu, Jala Ahmadova, Razi Nurullayev, Elman Nasirov and Tural Ganjaliyev. Comments also followed from Head of the State-Building and Administrative and Defence Legislation Department of the parliament’s Staff Haji Mirhashim Seyid and Sarvan Sadigov, Head of the Human Rights Legislation Sector in the same department.  

Committee Chairman Zahid Oruj capped the meeting and discussions by stating his views of the topics covered during them. 

The Press and Public Relations Department 

The Milli Majlis