President Ilham Aliyev has put forward an initiative to declare an amnesty on the occasion of the "Year of Constitution and Sovereignty". The amnesty act will cover approximately 20,000 people.
According to the draft amnesty act, it is envisaged that persons who participated in combat operations conducted for the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including the Patriotic War and the anti-terror operation held on September 19–20, 2023, as well as close relatives of persons who died or went missing without a trace in these operations, persons who became disabled as a result of military provocations by the Republic of Armenia against the civilian population, as well as women, persons who have reached the age of 60, minors who committed crimes, and other persons will be released from punishment or criminal liability.
It should be noted that 13 amnesty acts have been adopted to date.
Modern.az has investigated the amnesty acts issued to date and their scope.
Amnesty acts adopted during the Heydar Aliyev era
The institutions of pardon and amnesty in Azerbaijan were established during the era of national leader Heydar Aliyev.
During Heydar Aliyev's presidency – in the years 1995-2003 – 7 amnesty acts were adopted.
Amnesty acts adopted by the Milli Majlis on May 22, 1996, October 17, 1997, May 12, 1998, December 29, 1998, December 10, 1999, February 1, 2001, and May 6, 2003, applied to a total of over 77,000 people, of whom 21,325 were released from the unserved portion of their sentences. With the pardon decrees signed by the national leader, more than 3,000 individuals were pardoned and released from their sentences.
Amnesty acts proposed by Mehriban Aliyeva
As a result of the initiative put forward by Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, an amnesty act was adopted by the Milli Majlis on May 8, 2007. The amnesty, adopted in the context of constitutional values and legal reforms, applied to a total of 9,000 people. Of these, 1,500 people were released, and the sentences of 7,500 people were reduced.
On March 17, 2009, the Milli Majlis adopted the draft law "On the declaration of amnesty in connection with Novruz holiday" presented by Mehriban Aliyeva. That act was applied to 9,000 prisoners, and 1,700 prisoners were released.
With another initiative by the First Lady, aimed at strengthening national solidarity, an amnesty was applied to 10,040 convicts by a decision adopted on May 7, 2013.
In 2016, an amnesty was also declared on the occasion of May 28 - Republic Day, at the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva. The amnesty decision applied to a total of 10,868 people. The amnesty decision was applied to 3,545 convicts serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty. Of these, 2,842 convicts were released from deprivation of liberty, the unserved term of 635 convicts was reduced by 6 months, and it was decided to release 68 convicts after their compulsory treatment for drug addiction was canceled by a relevant court decision.
In 2018, the amnesty act declared on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was one of the most comprehensive acts. Approximately 15,000 people benefited from this act. The initiative was put forward by Mehriban Aliyeva, a deputy of the Milli Majlis.
Initiatives of President Ilham Aliyev
On the occasion of Victory Day, a decision was adopted in 2021 to declare an amnesty. That amnesty act applied to 17,267 people. This decision was the broadest amnesty adopted until that year in terms of the number of people to whom it was applied. Of the individuals to whom the amnesty was applied, 733 were participants in the Patriotic War, 837 were women, and 65 were minors.
The amnesty decision was applied to 5,971 convicts serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty. Of these, 2,710 convicts were released from deprivation of liberty, and the unserved term of 3,261 convicts was reduced by 6 months. Additionally, amnesty was applied to 8,559 individuals sentenced to punishments not involving deprivation of liberty. Of these, 5,722 convicts were released from punishment, and the sentences of 2,837 convicts were reduced. Thus, 1,909 individuals sentenced to restriction of liberty, 2,471 sentenced to correctional labor, 86 sentenced to public works, 1,202 sentenced to fines, and 54 individuals sentenced to other punishments were released from these punishments. Amnesty was also applied to 62 convicts who were conditionally sentenced, whose sentences were deferred, and who were conditionally released early from punishment.
Furthermore, amnesty was applied to 890 individuals in cases pending before the courts, and to 1,785 individuals in cases pending before preliminary investigation bodies.
