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“On conflict zones, or so-called “grey zones”, it would help people living in those zones if they are also seen as part of this organisation; they need to be. They also need to be protected by a convention and that is not the case at the moment. My view on this is very clear: a commissioner for human rights should always be able to travel in any part of the Council of Europe. However, the reality is different; that is not the case. Nevertheless, I am trying, I am engaging and I am pushing for access to all of these zones, in order to do my human rights work,” Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović said in PACE on Monday.

The comments came in response to the question of head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Ruben Rubinyan about what the CoE can do to protect the rights of people living in conflict zones.

Mijatović stressed that that the work of the commissioner should not be politicised, adding the role of the commissioner is not to recognise territories or to engage in a political dialogue to solve conflict, but to reach out to people who are also part of the Council of Europe family.

“I am sure they all feel neglected and that nobody cares about them. I said in my introductory remarks how I will try to reach out to them. I cannot do it on my own; I need your help and the help of governments to reach out to those areas as well,” she said.

Commenting on the question about Azerbaijani civilians Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev sentenced in Artsakh for murder, raised by member of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Pashayeva, the commissioner said the CoE has engaged on this issue and they communicate with the authorities, particularly with the Armenian ombudsperson.

Mijatović said she has been following with great hope the latest developments and meetings between the most senior members of the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities.

“I was really impressed when I heard that both President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan are preparing people for peace. In my view, the first thing to do to prepare people for peace is to make sure that human rights are respected. I would like to see the release of people on humanitarian grounds. I will continue to follow events, but the responsibility really lies on leaders, who must make sure that the preparations for peace see some results, not just the words that we read constantly in the papers,” she stressed.