Baku: Azerbaijan has unveiled the categories of individuals eligible for amnesty, irrespective of their sentence lengths, with the exclusion of those convicted of grave and especially grave crimes. This announcement comes as part of a draft resolution by the Milli Majlis, commemorating the ‘Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty,’ initiated by President Ilham Aliyev. The resolution was discussed during a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the individuals set to benefit from this amnesty include those who participated in combat operations defending Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly during the Patriotic War and the anti-terrorist operation on September 19-20, 2023. Close relatives of individuals killed or missing in these operations are also included. Additionally, persons awarded orders and medals for their participation in these operations, except those deprived of such honors by law, are eligible.
Furthermore, the amnesty covers individuals who became disabled or lost close relatives due to military provocations by Armenia and those affected by the Khojaly genocide. Persons deported from Armenia during 1948-1953 and 1987-1991, as well as internally displaced persons from the 1988-1993 occupation of Azerbaijani territories, are also eligible. Individuals recognized as disabled from the January 20, 1990 events, along with their close relatives, will be released.
Other categories include those who served in peacekeeping operations within the Azerbaijani Armed Forces or the former USSR and their relatives, World War II veterans, and those involved in the Chernobyl disaster cleanup. Women, minors at the time of their crime, individuals over 60, and those with significant disabilities or dependent children are also included.
The resolution further specifies that persons convicted of crimes not posing significant public danger, those with sentences not exceeding five years for negligence, and first-time offenders of serious crimes with limited remaining sentences are eligible. Military and non-imprisonment sentences such as corrective labor or community service are also covered.
Amnesty will be applied by inquiry and preliminary investigation bodies, ensuring criminal prosecutions for non-dangerous crimes are not initiated or are terminated, providing a significant reprieve for numerous individuals across Azerbaijan.