Our independent republic is further developing and consolidated under the leadership of the President Ilham Aliyev following the way of progress defined by the great leader Heydar Aliyev, there are held progressive reforms aimed at strengthening of our economy, improving the social welfare of our people and improving the public administration.
As part of the comprehensive development of our country, the justice and the judicial system are also modernized according to the instructions of the Head of State.
On February 14, a broad board meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov.
Speaking at the meeting with the participation of civil society representatives, the Minister noted the important achievements of our country in the socio-economic sphere under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, underlined that the parliamentary elections held on February 9 in a free, fair and transparent atmosphere is a manifestation of the solidarity of our people around the future course of development.
He noted that, last year is remembered as a year of deep reforms for justice and judicial-legal system. “State Program on development of the Azerbaijan justice for 2019-2023” approved by the head of state in December, 2018, the Decree “On deepening of the reforms in the judicial-legal system” on April 3, 2019, being a “road map” for development of justice and judicial system, caused an implementation of reforms in new stage in accordance with modern challenges. A number of works were realized within the framework of the State Program and Decree, having an exclusive importance.
The reforms realized under the instructions of the head of state, measures taken on separate directions of justice activity were analysed at the board meeting, and the forthcoming duties were discussed.
It was informed that, according to the instructions of the President on provision of stable development of economy, improvement of social welfare of population and improvement of public administration mechanisms in accordance with new challenges, about 2300 standard draft laws were prepared by the Ministry in 2019 – 30% more in comparison with the previous year, and more than 3800 acts passed legal expertise. More than 4800 documents entered into the website of the State Register of Legal Acts (www.huquqiaktlar.gov.az) and electron base of national legislation (www.e-qanun.az), which is open for population. As a result of great interest of people, visits to these electron resources increased by 50% and reached to 2 million.
The ministry provided the activity of 11 internet sites in interactive regime for the purpose of enlightenment of people about justice activity and increase of transparency, number of uses of 31 electron services reached to 3 million. 2 of 10 electron services used in “E-government” portal are the e-services on “Limitation of the right of debtor to leave the country” and “Gaining information about Individual identification number”.
By keeping in notice the instructions of the head of state on approaching towards the citizens’ appeals with care and sensibility, about 18 thousands of citizen were received in the ministry, regions and “virtual reception” points, and necessary measures were taken on raised issues.
Measures have been taken on improvement of notarial institution playing an important role in regulation of economic processes and legal relations, and Chamber of Notary was established in our country for the first time as an independent self-governing body.
As a result of the country's economic development and increased civil turnover in 2019, more than 5.3 million notary operations were registered at the notary offices – 21 % more compared to the previous year, and about 327,000 operations were made related to state registration of civil status acts. Taxes more than 10 million manats on these transactions and over 53 million manats on real estate contracts have been transferred to the state budget.
In 2019, operations formalized by the justice organizations operating in ASAN service centers constitute 45% of the total number of ready documents issued by these centers.
In order to apply innovations and enhance citizen satisfaction, the functionality of electronic justice kiosks, mobile notaries rendering distant services has been enhanced, as well as the service of uninterrupted electron formalization of power of attorneys for vehicles was put into operation.
It was noted that in 2019, more than 200 non-profit organizations were taken into state registration and about 70 press releases were registered as a manifestation of state support for the development of civil society. Currently, the total number of non-profit organizations is about 4,600, and the number of press releases is approximately 5,300.
Systematic measures are continued on improvement of the work of execution of court decisions playing an important role in increase of justice efficiency according to the commissions of the head of state and last year 485,000 executive documents were executed, legal and natural persons paid to the state budget 1,74 milliard manats, and 14,3 million manats as a tax debt.
2400 persons sentenced to deprivation of liberty and other punishments were applied electron bangles, 2,5 million manats were paid to the state budget with relate to penalties and execution of reform works.
The ministry completed primary investigation on 572 cases against justice judgment, as well as on non-execution of court decisions and other crimes, and as a result of it 4,7 million manats were paid by the legal and natural persons during the course of investigation.
According to the instructions of the President on improvement of forensic examination activity, legislation in this field was updated substantially, and measures were taken on modernization of the infrastructure of the Forensic Examination Centre. In 2019, the Center handled about 35,000 cases on 41 expert specialties, and the experts solved 99.6% of the issues by answering more than 816,000 questions.
The focus is on ensuring the legitimacy of the activities of municipalities, which play an important role in the development of local democracy, as well as the strengthening of methodological assistance to newly elected municipalities and officials. In 2019, about 78,500 municipal acts were administered, up to 2,800 acts were repealed or changed based on the Ministry's proposals, and more than 7,000 acres of illegal land were returned. Protocols on administrative offenses against more than 130 municipal chairmen have been sent to the courts and 24 criminal cases have been filed with the prosecutor's office.
The 2019 Annual Report on the implementation of administrative control over municipalities was prepared and submitted to the Milli Mejlis.
The board said that last year, the ministry had taken steps to expand international legal cooperation, made bilateral visits to Saudi Arabia and signed important legal documents. In addition, giving the importance to the international cooperation in the struggle against crime, the Minister of Justice has signed the Fourth Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Extradition in Strasbourg, in accordance with the powers given by the Order of the President.
The meeting highlighted the works carried out under the Decree of the President of the country dated April 3, 2019, and noted that a number of important laws have already been adopted on the legislative initiative of the head of state, preparing about 40 new laws regulating justice and judicial activity.
It was noted that new commercial and administrative courts on business disputes have been established since the beginning of this year and the social welfare of judges has been significantly improved. According to the decree, alternative mechanisms of expertise and private institute of expertise were established.
At the same time, it was touched on the operative measures on the extension of application and increase of functionality of the "E-Court" information system, the improvement of the judicial infrastructure and other practical measures.
Representatives of NGOs invited to the board meeting noted that they are closely following the work on improvement of justice activity, and achievements and innovations in this area are welcomed in the society, the Ministry of Justice always pays attention to transparency, public participation and cooperation with civil society was strengthened last year, highlighting the activities of the Public Committee under the Minister of Justice.
In addition to the works done, the shortcomings and defects in the justice activity were discussed at the meeting, the President’s demands put before the public officers, especially the instructions on careful attitude towards people, strong compliance with law demands, increase of transparency were brought into notice at the conference held on February 3 on the results of social-economic development of the regions, and the importance of compliance with disciplinary and ethical rules, prevention of abuse and corruption and increase of citizens satisfaction was stressed at the meeting.
At the same time, it was noted that the implementation of the State Program for the Development of Justice and the Decree on Deepening of Judicial-Legal Reforms will always be in focus, and relative tasks were committed with relate to modernization of activity, including increase of efficiency in the field of execution of court decisions, investigation, penitentiary, forensic examination, strengthening of control over the local organizations, improvement of the work of regional justice departments, acceleration of electron document circulation, as well as involvement of volunteers in justice and judicial activity with relate to announcement of 2020 as a Year of Volunteers.
The Board also made changes to the Instruction on the organization of administrative control over the activities of municipalities, reviewed current and other issues, and registered a number of non-commercial legal entities.
