Baroness Stern travels to Baku to promote Penal Reform - inspired by John Smith Fellow, Ramil Isganderov
On 2nd October 2006 Trust supporters Baroness Stern, a specialist in Penal Reform, and David Croft, Former Governor of Edinburgh Prison, joined Deputy Director Joanna Lamb in Baku in order to encourage applications to the 2007 John Smith Fellowship Programme, and also to meet with officials from the Ministry of Justice, NGOs and other specialists to promote prison reform in Azerbaijan.
The visit was initiated and co-organised by 2005 John Smith Fellow Ramil Isganderov, Chairman of the Azeri Young Lawyers Union. The delegation was hosted by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan who gave the experts full access to their penitentiary institutions.
L-R 2005 Fellow Ramil Isganderov, Baroness Stern, 2005 Fellow Shahla Ismailova, 2006 Fellow Kamran Bayramov, Joanna Lamb, Deputy Director, JSMT, and David Croft
During the first day of the visit, the party attended a lunch with OSCE and Council of Europe representatives in order to discuss recent reforms in the penitentiary system. They were joined by Colin Wells, Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy, and Andy Williams, Director of the British Council in Azerbaijan. After lunch the delegation met with the Minister of Justice Mr. Fikrat Mammadov and several of his senior assistants, including 2006 Fellow Kamran Bayramov. Baroness Stern and the Minister spoke about the penitentiary system, in particular about reforms which have been implemented and also the areas which still need to be dealt with. The Minister also spoke of how the John Smith Fellowship Programme had been extremely helpful for Azerbaijan and pledged his support to the Trust.
The party were then accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Nazim Alakbarov to the Penitentiary Training Department where Baroness Stern and David Croft gave a lecture on the principles of safety, security and humanity in prisons.
In the evening, the group were hosted by the Deputy Minister of Justice and several officials from the Ministry at the ‘Mungam Club’ restaurant to enjoy traditional Azeri food and dancing.
The Deputy Minister of Justice hosts the delegation for an evening of traditional food and dancing
On the second day of the visit, the group were escorted around Prison Colony No.1 by the prison Director and given full access to all areas of the colony, including the solitary confinement wing. This visit was filmed and later broadcast on the evening news. Later that day, the party met with NGO representatives working in the field of prison reform. The meeting was organised by the Azeri Young Lawyers Union and chaired by John Smith Fellow Ramil Isganderov, Chairman of the AYLU. The participants reported on how they viewed recent developments in the penitentiary system, and also discussed the recently formed committee which the Ministry of Justice has initiated to include civil society groups in the reform process. Baroness Stern pointed out that it was not possible to have a humane penitentiary system without NGOs, and urged the participants not to forget how important their role is in the process of reform.
JS Fellow Ramil Isganderov (left) chairs a meeting with NGOs at the AYLU offices
John Smith Fellow Kamran Bayramov and Baroness Stern at a Pre-trial Prison in Baku
The group then attended a lunch hosted by HMA Laurie Bristow. Guests included the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, the President of Khazar University, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Committee Against Torture and the Deputy Minister of Justice. This was followed by a meeting with several senior judges from various courts which provided the group with an interesting insight into the judicial system in Azerbaijan. The party then met with Young Opinion Formers at Baku State University. They were welcomed by the Vice-Rector before addressing postgraduate students and young opinion formers who asked questions about the John Smith Fellowship Programme. This visit to the University was broadcast later that day on the evening news.
BC Director Andy Williams, Joanna Lamb, Vice Rector Prof. Pashayeva Nargiz, Baroness Stern and David Croft speak to Young Opinion Formers about the JSMT at Baku State University
The final day of the visit began with a roundtable with NGOs, specialists and government officials to consider health in prisons. Topics discussed included HIV/AIDS, TB, and drug misuse and participants took part in a lively discussion. The roundtable was followed by a press conference with representatives from eight TV news channels and numerous journalists. Andy Williams, Director of the British Council in Azerbaijan, introduced the party to the audience before inviting questions from the media about the John Smith Fellowship Programme.
Trust Deputy Director Joanna Lamb answers questions at the press conference
Baroness Stern also took part in a half hour interview with ‘Points of View’ at ANS TV in which she answered questions on the Fellowship Programme, penal reform and other topics. The visit concluded with an evening reception attended by John Smith Fellows, government ministers, potential Fellowship candidates, Ambassadors and representatives from international organisations. The guests were welcomed by HMA Laurie Bristow who introduced the guests of honour Baroness Stern and the Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Nazim Alakbarov.
L-R Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Nazim Alakbarov, Baroness Stern and HMA Laurie Bristow at the final reception
Speaking after the visit, David Croft commented that "the government appears to be making a genuine effort to involve representatives from outside the system to inform the process of change. The influence of the John Smith Fellows in achieving that change was very evident, as was their enthusiasm, ability and tenacity”
The John Smith Memorial Trust is enormously grateful to all the organisations and individuals who helped to make this visit such a great success, in particular the Ministry of Justice who hosted our visitors during their stay in Baku. Thanks are also due to HMA Laurie Bristow and all the staff at the British Embassy, Andy Williams and all the staff at the British Council in Baku and our John Smith Fellows from Azerbaijan. Special thanks go to 2005 Fellow Ramil Isganderov who initiated this visit and brought together all the relevant parties, and Leila Hassanova from the British Council for her work with the Ministry of Justice.
