Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 26 / Trend A.Akhundov /
Turkey and Azerbaijan are working to improve conditions of detention of their nationals in the prisons of the two countries, Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said in an interview with Trend on the eve of his Baku visit scheduled for February.
"The countries' officials pay mutual working visits and hold talks with a view to share experiences both in terms of improvement of the penal system as a whole, and improving conditions of detention of the Azerbaijani and Turkish citizens," Ergin said.
He said any serious problems have not yet been observed with the state of Azerbaijani and Turkish citizens, imprisoned in the two countries.
"According to the Article 2 of the "Law on measures for the implementation of punishment and security" Azerbaijani citizens, who were arrested or convicted in Turkey and are kept in institutions of punishment, have the same rights as Turkish citizens," Ergin said.
Ergin said according to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, the staff of consulates and embassies of Turkey and Azerbaijan can meet with own citizens, convicted or detained in these countries.
Some 61 Azerbaijani citizens are kept in the penal institutions of Turkey, of which 13 are convicted and 48 - accused, Ergin said. Nine of them are women and 52 - men. About 30 Turkish citizens are kept in the penal institutions of Azerbaijan, he said.