The Republic of Azerbaijan, while remaining committed to universal human values such as democracy, human rights and social progress, and successfully advancing on the way of building a State governed by Rule of Law, exerts reasonable efforts to create decent life conditions and improve the well-being and self-assertion opportunities of individuals.

In 1998, the nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev, who viewed the progress of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in particular, through the development of the "human criterion”, approved the first fundamental document in the area of protection of human rights – the National State Program.

Activities aimed at establishing a democratic State governed by Rule of Law and civil society and ensuring effective protection of human rights and freedoms have resulted in a number of significant achievements.

The National Action Plan on Protection of Human Rights in the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted in 2006 has been instrumental in elevating the process of human rights protection to a qualitatively new level, developing new cooperation strategy at universal and regional levels and establishing the relations of partnership between the State and civil society.

Progress in implementation of the National Action Plan on Protection of Human Rights in the Republic of Azerbaijan has been regularly analysed, and public hearings have been held with participation of representatives of all sectors of society to discuss the results of its execution.

In order to raise effectiveness of protection of human rights and freedoms, promote legal culture and ensure sustainability of activities to improve the regulatory and legal framework and the human rights protection system, I hereby decree as follows:

1. To approve the National Program for Action to Raise Effectiveness of the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan (appended).

2. To recommend the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan to lead the activity of the working group on coordination of the implementation of the National Program for Action.

3. To instruct the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to analyse the results of implementation of the National Program for Action and submit proposals for its improvement.

4. To recommend the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Judicial-Legal Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the National Television and Radio Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Press Council to actively participate in implementation of the National Program for Action.

5. To instruct the institutions identified in the National Program for Action to cooperate closely with civil society institutions in implementation of the National Program for Action.

6. To instruct the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan to resolve all issues arising from this Order.

Ilham Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku city, 27 December 2011