President Ilham Aliyev has submitted three candidates to Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis for the post of human rights commissioner, or ombudsman. Parliament has not yet elected the next officeholder.
The nominees are incumbent ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, former Constitutional Court judge Jeyhun Garajayev and Supreme Court judge Elshana Valiyeva.
A draft resolution titled “On the Election of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan” has been submitted for consideration by the Milli Majlis Human Rights Committee.
Who the candidates are
Sabina Aliyeva has served as ombudsman since November 2019, when parliament elected her from three candidates put forward by the president.
Jeyhun Garajayev served as a Constitutional Court judge from 2010 to 2025. He holds a doctorate in law and is an independent expert on the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. His current mandate on the committee runs through 2028.
Elshana Valiyeva is a judge of Azerbaijan’s Supreme Court and a member of the Judicial Selection Committee.
How the selection process works
Under Azerbaijan’s ombudsman law, the president submits three candidates to parliament 30 days before the incumbent commissioner’s term expires. The Milli Majlis must elect the ombudsman within 15 days.
The human rights commissioner serves a seven-year term. Until parliament votes, none of the three nominees is considered elected.
Source: Vesti Baku