The Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan is non-governmental, non-political, non-registered, non-profit organization created on 29 April 1993 by free-lance journalist and human rights activist Eldar Zeynalov. Zeynalov’s motive was his disagreement with the restored political censorship in the Republic of Azerbaijan, which blocked the publications about the human rights violations in the country, and the necessity of the permanent information of local and global organizations on the human rights situation in country.
Physical abuse and torture are rampant in police custody in Azerbaijan. Police routinely beat detainees-whether suspected of petty common crimes or political offenses-to coerce them into confessing or giving testimony.