Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudswoman) Sabina Aliyeva participated in the event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Demining Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA), Azernews reports.

During her speech at the event attended by state officials and representatives of international organizations in Azerbaijan, the Ombudswoman congratulated the management and team of ANAMA on the occasion of the jubilee and wished them success in their difficult and responsible activities.

Noting that the elimination of the landmine problem is one of the priority tasks that Azerbaijan faces, the commissioner said that more than 300 people have lost their lives or been seriously injured as a result of the explosion of landmines and military ammunition, and these indicators continue to increase.

Sabina Aliyeva brought to the attention of the participants that the current landmine problem slows down the process of the safe return of former IDPs to their native lands, seriously hinders the restoration and construction works carried out in the region, as well as the peace-building process in the region.

The Ombudswoman said that fact-finding missions were carried out both during the Second Karabakh War and in the post-war period on the front line, in the areas close to it, as well as in the cities and regions where the civilian population was targeted, and a special Ad-hoc report was prepared in which the information about the continuation of mine terrorism due to the non-delivery of mine maps was recorded. The commissioner noted that the prepared documents have been submitted to international and regional organizations active in the field of human rights, as well as to national human rights institutions of various countries.