period; The head of the cells unit confirmed that personnel did not monitor interrogation sessions which are said to be held behind closed doors. (j) Give favourable consideration to putting emphasis, in the technical cooperation programme, on training activities for the police and possibly investigators of the Ministry of National Security once recommendation (i) has been implemented; comprehensiveness, objectivity and rationality of pretrial proceedings of grave and very grave criminal cases. At the same time it is possible to consider the question of changing the status of this detention centre or discontinuation of its use in the framework of complex reforms on improvement of penitentiary facilities and investigatory cells in the penitentiary system. Government: measures have been taken to regulate relations between the police and citizens in accordance with legal and ethical norms; monitoring to ensure compliance with human rights and freedoms have been increased; In order to familiarize officers with the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the number of hours of the course entitled “The police and human rights” was increased; An OSCE Police Assistance Programme developed in 2004 provides for assistance to the Police Academy, the training of qualified staff, awareness-raising in the field of human rights among police officers, etc; Numerous workshops, conferences and trainings have been organized on various human rights topics in collaboration with international organizations, such as the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the European Union, as well as bilateral and multilateral partners. (l) Consider making the declaration provided for in article 22 of the Convention against Under the training of trainers programme on “Training on the European Human Rights Convention (ECHR) for public prosecutors in Azerbaijan,” training courses were held by the Council of Europe at the Training Centre of the General Prosecutor’s Office; Azerbaijan had made no declaration under article 22 CAT nor had it ratified the In 2001, Azerbaijan acceded to the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR; 11 In 2002, Azerbaijan made the relevant declaration Non-governmental sources: Azerbaijan ratified the OPCAT on 28 January A/HRC/13/39/Add.6 (k) Consider requesting advisory services from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding training activities for officials from the General Prosecutor’s Office;