Page 7 - karabag raporu eng

PREFACE

urrently, there are Ombudsman Institutions in more than 140 countries
Cin the world with different competencies at national, regional, or local
levels. Ombudsman Institutions, which are impartial and independent hu-
man rights institutions, have an important role in strengthening democracy,
rule of law and good administration as well as protecting and promoting
human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Ombudsmen have important responsibilities in this regard. It is the duty of
all Ombudsmen to react to a violation of human rights, raise awareness, and
make efforts for the elimination of such violations wherever they occur in the
world.
In this context, Ombudsman Institutions come together to establish asso-
ciations/networks for main reasons such as ensuring information exchange
between institutions, thus increasing the capacities of institutions, cooper-
ating, and raising stronger awareness by making more voices together when
necessary; they carry out joint activities through these associations/net-
works. As the Ombudsman Institution of Türkiye, we attach great importance
to international cooperation and experience exchange. Accordingly, we are
a member of 8 different international associations/networks. One of them is
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Ombudsmen Association (OICOA),
of which I have been the president since 2019. The Commissioner for Human
Rights in the Republic of Azerbaijan (Ombudsman) is also a member of the
OICOA Board of Directors.

Upon the invitation of the Azerbaijani Ombudsman, Ms Sabina Aliyeva, at
the meeting of the OICOA Board of Directors, I conducted a study visit to
Azerbaijan on 21-23 October 2020 to carry out an on-site examination re-