Azerbaijani Ombudsperson finds violation of children's rights in court marshals' actions

Court marshals have used force while separating a ten-year girl with her aunt, who had brought her up in the Guba District, which violated the girl's rights, said the Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan.

Earlier, in 2012, the court granted the claim of the girl's father, while she was reared by her aunt since her mother's death; and the higher court instances have rejected the appellate and cassation complaints against the judgement, said the girl's aunt.

The girl has stated that she wants to live with her aunt, since she is afraid to live with her father, whom she first saw at the trial, the APA reports.

The video, posted on the YouTube on January 5, shows people in uniform taking the girl from a woman; the child is crying and is very scared; but it does not stop the men. The video is now actively reposted also by users of social networks.

In connection with the incident at the Guba District Court, Elmira Suleimanova, the Azerbaijani Ombudsperson, has sent a letter to the Chief Executive Department of the Ministry of Justice, stating the inadmissibility of using force to the girl and pointing to the violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the legislation on children's rights, the "Trend" reports citing Aidyn Safikhanly, a source from the Ombudsperson's office.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.