There was held a conference on the discussion of the forthcoming duties and works realized on execution of the punishments not related to the deprivation of liberty in the first half-year of the current year by the Probation Service on July 17 in the Ministry of Justice.
Vice-minister of justice Vilayat Zahirov, making opening speech in the event, informed about the measures carried out in accordance with the President Ilham Aliyev’s commissions on increase of efficiency of justice, humanization of punishment policy, enlargement of appliance of alternative punishments for deprivation of liberty. According to the Decree of the head of state “On deepening of the reforms in the judicial-legal system” on April 03, 2019, humanization measures are continued, and amendments are expected to be made to the legislation on decriminalization of the crimes.
It was informed that, an advanced international experience was learned on execution of the commissions specified by the Decree, legal projects were prepared on decriminalization of some actions, larger use of alternative punishments and appliance of new progressive legal institutions and were presented to the head of state.
Chief of the Probation Service – general probation officer Akshin Ziyadov spoke with report in the conference.
It was brought into attention that, more than 4700 prisoners registered in the local probation organizations, were deregistered with relate to expiry of imprisonment period and on other bases defined by the law. The punishment of 384 prisoners who abstained from the execution of the sentence was replaced by other types of penalties by the courts, and punishment of 48 prisoners was replaced by deprivation of liberty.
Also, appliance of electron control means were enlarged in execution of alternative punishments for deprivation of liberty and about 1.100 prisoners who were sentenced with limitation of liberty were applied electron bangles in the first half-year of the current year and bangles were taken off from 300 prisoners, whose imprisonment was expired. At present, more than 1400 prisoners hold electron bangle.
In accordance with the instruction of the President, measures were taken to carry out effective control over the execution of public works, new legal projects were drafted for the purpose of effective work in this area, the possibility of applying innovative technologies in the conduct of public works and penal sanctions was studied, a special monitoring device was developed to monitor the fulfillment of the works and to detect the evasion cases.
It was noted that in the first half of the year, 966 individuals were involved in the execution of public order and administrative punishment, 431 of which were officially deregistered in connection with the expiry of public works. The amount of funds paid to the state budget for the implementation of penalties and corrective works penalties increased by 12 percent and exceeded 1.2 million manats.
In addition to the works done in the session, shortcomings and defects were noted, responsible officers of the Probation Service were listened to the existing problems and the ways of eliminating the causes and conditions of the shortcomings were thoroughly analyzed.
Summing up the meeting, the Vice-Minister has given concrete instructions on the provision of timely and fair execution of alternative punishments for deprivation of liberty, strengthening of control over the activities of subordinate institutions, enhancing the professionalism of probation officers, enhancing citizens’ satisfaction, the necessity of complying with ethical conduct rules, and inaccessibility of cases causing corruption.
