Taiwan delegates blocked from attending judges' conference in Azerbaijan

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Six members of the Judges Association of Republic of China (Taiwan), or JAROC, were unable to attend the International Association of Judges' (IAJ) annual conference in Azerbaijan after being denied visas and entry permits, the association said Friday.

The delegates received assurances from the organizers that they would be helped with visa and entry procedures under the IAJ's principles of inclusiveness and equal participation, but they received neither approval nor any formal explanation, JAROC said in a statement.

The 67th IAJ General Assembly was held in Baku this year from Oct. 11 to Oct. 17.

The group was forced to cancel its trip as a result, JAROC lamented, saying that the incident not only violated members' right to full participation but also undermined the IAJ's commitment to judicial independence, equal exchange and cooperation.

Describing the incident as regrettable, JAROC called on the IAJ to establish a clear, fair and transparent mechanism to prevent similar cases in the future. It also urged timely and open procedures to ensure that all member states can participate in international meetings with dignity and equality.

The incident was just another example of the barriers Taiwan faces in trying to participate in international events, as many countries bow to the wishes of China in keeping Taipei out of the international eye, though JAROC did not directly accuse Beijing of interfering in this event.

The IAJ is a professional, non-political, international organization of national associations of judges. It was founded in Salzburg in 1953 and has its headquarters in Rome.

The IAJ annual meeting is hosted in rotation by its member countries. Taiwan previously hosted the 65th edition in 2023.

Separately on Friday, the Judicial Yuan expressed its "utmost concern" over Azerbaijan's refusal to grant visas and entry permits to the JAROC delegation.

In a statement, the judicial body said it will continue to support civil organizations in promoting Taiwan's free and independent rule of law internationally.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) also protested, accusing the Azerbaijani government of using the "one China" principle as a pretext to deny the Taiwanese delegation's entry.

MOFA reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China "are not subordinate to each other," and that the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan.

The ministry said any attempt to distort Taiwan's sovereign status cannot alter the internationally recognized status quo across the Taiwan Strait, adding that exchanges among professional judicial associations are unrelated to political issues.

It further condemned Azerbaijan for blocking Taiwan's participation in the annual event.