BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 20. The Azerbaijani
Parliament has ratified the Council of Europe Convention against
Trafficking in Human Organs, Trend reports.
The issue was discussed at today's plenary session of the
parliament.
The discussion noted that the above convention of the Council of
Europe, consisting of a preamble and 33 articles, was signed on
March 25, 2015, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The convention aims to prevent and combat trafficking in human
organs and ensure the criminalization of certain acts in this area,
as well as protect the rights of victims and strengthen national
and international cooperation between the parties. The convention
applies to trafficking in human organs for transplantation purposes
and other purposes, as well as to forms of illegal removal and
illegal implantation.
The convention establishes criminal liability for the illegal
removal of human organs and the prevention of their use, the
illegal search and recruitment of donors and recipients; the
offering or solicitation of illegal advantages, as well as the
preparation, storage, transportation, transfer, receipt, import,
and export of illegally removed organs. At the same time, it also
covers cases of aiding, abetting, and attempting to commit these
crimes.
Moreover, the convention establishes provisions on the
investigation and prosecution of crimes and mutual legal assistance
and extradition, as well as ensuring international cooperation. The
document also contains provisions on the confiscation of proceeds
from crime and the protection of the rights of victims, assisting
in their physical, psychological, and social recovery, as well as
ensuring the protection of witnesses.
Within the framework of the monitoring mechanism of the
convention, a Committee of the Parties is established to monitor
the implementation of the convention and exchange experience in its
application. This committee consists of representatives of the
states that have ratified the convention, and its duties include
monitoring the implementation of the convention, determining the
implementation procedures, and approving the rules of
operation.
Azerbaijan has declared in relation to the convention that its
provisions won't be applied to Armenia until the complete
elimination of the conflict consequences and normalization of
relations between the countries.
The draft law "On ratification of the Council of Europe
Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs" was put to a vote
after discussions and adopted in the first reading.
The Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human
Organs (CETS No. 216), commonly referred to as the Santiago de
Compostela Convention, is a legally binding international treaty
that came into effect in 2018. Its primary aim is to prevent,
combat, and criminalize the unlawful removal and trafficking of
human organs. This initiative safeguards victims, fosters global
collaboration, and mandates that participating nations create
national transplant systems that are transparent and fair.
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