11.03.2021

On March 11, 2021, the Main Department on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings at the Ministry of Internal Affairs hosted a bilateral meeting at the initiative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Azerbaijan. The meeting was attended by Vladimir Georgiev, Head of IOM in Azerbaijan, project coordinator Ersilia Apreda, and project assistant Nargiz Karimova. The delegation, led by Police Major General Hazi Aslanov, Head of the Main Department on Combating Human Trafficking, included Police Colonel Samir Zeynalov, Deputy Chief of Department, Police Lieutenant Colonel Ramil Kazimov, Head of Information Provision and Analytical Work Division, Police Lieutenant Colonel Elshad Mammadli, the Chief Operations Commissioner for Special Important Cases of that division and Samir Hasanli, inspector from the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, participated.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss cooperation perspectives with the Main Department on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and to introduce Ersilia Apreda, the coordinator of IOM's Counter-Trafficking in Persons Activity Project.

During the meeting, the delegation addressed guests' inquiries and provided extensive information on combating human trafficking, as well as prevention and rehabilitation measures in the country.

Vladimir Georgiev, head of the IOM delegation, expressed profound gratitude for the comprehensive information provided. He noted Azerbaijan's reclassification from "Tier 2 Watch List" countries, attributing this to the increased implementation of conditional sentencing instead of real imprisonment, which has risen to 80% compared to previous years. He emphasized IOM's commitment to supporting Azerbaijan in upcoming reports.

Overall, the meeting was conducted in a cordial and professional atmosphere, with delagation expressing appreciation for the effective exchange of information.