Elmira Suleimanova re-elected as Azerbaijani Ombudsperson

At today's session of the Parliament, Elmira Suleimanova, 72, was re-elected to the post of the Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan for her second term of 7 years. The opposition and human rights activists differed in their opinions on this re-appointment.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that other candidates were Faik Gurbanov, head of the Department of Human Rights of the Ministry of Justice, and Teimur Melik-Aslanov, a representative of the office of the UN Supreme Commissariat on Human Rights in Azerbaijan.

According to the legislation, the parliament elects Ombudsperson out of three candidates presented by the President.

However, the parliamentary opposition has criticized the procedure of presenting candidates.

Deputy Panakh Guseinov has named absurd the formulation of presentation, running that President recommends three candidates and at the same time calls to elect one of them - Elmira Suleimanova. "It's not serious, just a show and imitation of democracy," the MP was indignant. 106 Deputies voted for Suleimanova, and 7 were against.

Elmira Suleimanova told journalists that her re-election "is an estimate of the Ombudsperson's institution." "There were also deficiencies in our work, which will be corrected," she said. One of these days, she is going to meet the convicted journalist Einullah Fatullaev.

Human rights activists are sceptical to Suleimanova's re-election.

Thus, in the opinion of Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), Suleimanova suits the authorities and acts as human rights defender to the extent the authorities let her. Mr Guseinov believes that Suleimanova has failed her mission to protect citizens' political rights.

Leila Yunus, Director of the Institute of Peace and Democracy, also believes that the position of the Ombudsperson as an independent institution in Azerbaijan has failed.