ILN Submits Follow-Up Report to UN Committee against Torture on Azerbaijan
On 30 October 2025, the Independent Lawyers Network (ILN), jointly with the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), submitted a detailed follow-up report to the United Nations Committee against Torture (UNCAT) concerning Azerbaijan’s implementation of the Committee’s Concluding Observations adopted on 6 May 2024.
The submission provides an updated and comprehensive assessment of the situation since May 2024 and concludes that conditions have significantly deteriorated across all areas identified by the Committee for priority follow-up.
According to the report, the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to provide the requested follow-up information and have instead intensified restrictions affecting lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors
The report documents that torture and ill-treatment remain systemic and effectively unpunished. Despite numerous credible allegations of physical abuse, psychological pressure, and coercion in detention facilities, investigations remain absent or ineffective. Courts routinely dismiss torture complaints without meaningful examination, and oversight bodies have failed to publish findings or ensure accountability. The absence of high-level public condemnation and the lack of independent investigations reflect a continued failure to implement a genuine zero-tolerance approach, as required under the Convention
A central concern raised in the report is the sharp erosion of lawyers’ independence and access to effective legal safeguards. Lawyers defending political prisoners and torture victims continue to face harassment, disciplinary sanctions, suspension, and criminal prosecution. Recent legislative amendments further expand executive influence over the Bar Association, weaken lawyer–client confidentiality, and risk institutionalizing long-term state control over the legal profession. These developments directly undermine Article 13(b) of the Convention and contradict international standards on the role of lawyers
The follow-up submission also situates torture and ill-treatment within a broader context of shrinking civic space. Throughout 2024–2025, dozens of journalists, NGO leaders, and activists were subjected to politically motivated criminal charges. Independent media outlets and international organizations were forced to suspend operations, while restrictive legislative amendments increased state control over NGOs and foreign-funded activities.
In light of these findings, ILN and OMCT urge the Committee against Torture to maintain enhanced follow-up procedures and to assess Azerbaijan’s implementation of key recommendations as non-compliant. The report underscores that the continued failure to prevent, investigate, and punish torture constitutes a systematic breach of Azerbaijan’s obligations under the UN Convention against Torture.
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