Azerbaidjan - September 2001, monthly bulletin
30-09-2001
On 12 September, the ICRC assisted in the repatriation of two Azerbaijani nationals , a military serviceman and a civilian, from Armenia to Azerbaijan. Before their hand-over, both persons confirmed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) their willingness to be repatriated to the Republic of Azerbaijan. The repatriation took place in the Gazakh region, with the full cooperation of the Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities.
On 14 September, 7 orthopaedic technologist students successfully graduated from a 3-year ICRC-training course . They received their internationally recognized certificates at the House of Government in a ceremony attended by the Minister of the Labour and Social Protection, Ali Nagiyev, and the ICRC Head of Baku delegation, Friedrun Medert.
During this month, the Orthopaedic Centre , Baku, operated jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the ICRC, housed 39 patients in its dormitory, and delivered 39 prosthesis (among them, 7 amputees were mine victims) and 52 orthoses. 26 patients were supplied with crutches and sticks, and 2 patients received wheelchairs. A total of 103 patients were consulted at the Centre.
On 18 September, the ICRC organised a seminar in cooperation with the Ministry of Education , for the District Educational Departments'representatives and teachers of literature. Participants discussed methodical matters related to the teaching of humanitarian values using a new ICRC textbook , " My world, your world " , for 6th form secondary school pupils. On 19-23 September, the ICRC organised a seminar in Moscow entitled "International Humanitarian Law in the Professional Training of Journalists" for teachers of journalism in CIS countries. The seminar focussed on issues relating to media coverage of armed conflicts. From Azerbaijan, the ICRC facilitated the participation of one teacher of journalism from Khazar University.
In September, the ICRC conducted 8 detention visits to 6 IVSs (isolator for temporary detention) of the Ministry of Interior in Baku and in the provinces. Visits were also made to Bailov SIZO (pre-trial isolator) and to Gobustan prison, of the Ministry of Justice. The visits were conducted in accordance with ICRC standard procedures, which include private interviews with detainees, and confidential discussions with the detaining authorities regarding the conditions of detention and the treatment of detainees.
The Ministry of Justice runs a tuberculosis (TB) project within the penitentiary system of Azerbaijan. This program allows for the treatment and follow-up of detainees infected by TB. The ICRC ensures the supply of all necessary anti-TB medicaments to the central treatment facility in Bina district, Baku. In addition to providing technical advice, the ICRC also collaborates with the Ministry to monitor and evaluate the evolution of TB programme. This month, 621 detainee patients were undergoing TB-treatment in accordance with the standards recommended by the World Health Organisation, better known by its acronym DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course).