LEGAL SYSTEM OF AZERBAİJAN

BY SARA BABAYEVA, HANNAH SCHEPERS, MANASI DAS,

ANNEKE WOJTUN, LISA ALFREDO
CONTENTS
• PROFILE OF AZERBAIJAN
• LEGISLATIVE POWER, EXECUTIVE POWER AND JUDICIAL POWER
• LEGAL SYSTEM DURING AND AFTER SOVIET UNION
• CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION
• TRADE AND ECONOMY
 PROFILE OF AZERBAIJAN
• THE COUNTRY OF AZERBAIJAN SITS AT THE
CROSSROADS BETWEEN CENTRAL ASIA, EUROPE,
AND THE MIDDLE EAST. THE CAPITAL IS BAKU.

• AZERBAIJAN IS BORDERED
BY RUSSIA, GEORGIA, ARMENIA, AND IRAN.
THE CASPIAN SEA LIES TO THE EAST. A PART OF
ARMENIA SEPARATES THE AZERBAIJANI REPUBLIC
OF NAKHICHEVAN FROM THE REST OF AZERBAIJAN.

• THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS RUN THROUGH

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN AZERBAIJAN.
• THE COUNTRY HAS 33,436 SQUARE MILES OF
LAND.

• 10.11 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN AZERBAIJAN.

• MORE THAN 90% OF THE PEOPLE ARE

ETHNIC AZERBAIJANIS, MINORITIES
INCLUDE RUSSIANS, GEORGIANS AND OTHER
NATIONALITIES.

• THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IS AZERI.

• THE CURRENCY IS MANAT.

• THE CONSTITUTION OF AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT

SAY THERE IS AN OFFICIAL RELIGION. BUT, ISLAM,
IS BY FAR THE LARGEST RELIGION IN THE
COUNTRY. THERE ARE ALSO A SMALL NUMBER
OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS.
LEGISLATIVE POWER
• CARRIED OUT BY MILLI MAJLIS, A ONE-CHAMBER PARLIAMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
• - MILLI MAJLIS CONSISTS OF 125 DEPUTIES, WHO SHALL BE ELECTED THROUGH THE
MAJORITARIAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND UNIVERSAL, EQUAL AND DIRECT ELECTIONS
• - EVERY CITIZEN OF AZERBAIJAN NOT YOUNGER THAN 25 YEARS CAN BE ELECTED AS ONE
OF THE DEPUTIES
• - THE TERM OF OFFICE OF EACH CALLING OF MILLI MAJLIS LASTS 5 YEARS
• - ITS ACTIVITIES AND STATUS ARE CARRIED OUT IN TWO MAJOR DIRECTIONS:
• 1. MILLI MAJLIS DEFINES THE COMMON RULES FOR A RANGE OF ISSUES, THE LEGISLATIVE
POWER BUILDS ITS ACTIVITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
• 2. MILLI MAJLIS CAN DIRECTLY SOLVE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS (E.G. IT IS EMPOWERED TO
DISMISS THE PRESIDENT BY MEANS OF IMPEACHMENT)
➔ DEVELOPS CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS, ACTS, AND ORDERS ON ISSUES WITHIN ITS POWER
EXECUTIVE POWER
• THE SOLE SYSTEM OF EXECUTIVE POWER CONSISTS OF UPPER, CENTRAL AND LOCAL
EXECUTIVE POWER BODIES AND COVERS THE MAIN MAJORITY OF STATE BODIES AND
EMPLOYEES AND IS ENTITLED TO WIDE RIGHTS

• - ITS MAJOR FUNCTION IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS

• - IT IS HELD BY THE PRESIDENT (CURRENT PRESIDENT: ILHAM ALIYEV)

• - THE PRESIDENT IS THE HEAD OF STATE, THE EMBODIMENT OF EXECUTIVE POWER AND
REPRESENTS AZERBAIJAN IN HOME AND FOREIGN POLICIES

• - HE RULES THROUGH HIS EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION, WHICH

CONSISTS OF A GROUP OF SECRETARIES AND DEPARTMENT MINISTERS

• - HE SIGNS LAWS INTRODUCED TO HIM WITHIN 56 DAYS, IF HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH A
LAW, HE DOES NOT SIGN IT AND MAY RETURN IT TO THE MILLI MAJLIS
 Ilham Aliyev Ali Asadov
→ President → Prime Minister

POLITICAL PERSONALITIES
JUDUCIAL POWER
• THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM CONSISTS OF ALL COURTS ACTING IN THE REPUBLIC AND UNITED UNDER THE SOLE
DUTIES, ORGANIZATIONAL AND ACTIVITY PRINCIPLES OF THE JUDICIAL POWER

• - IT IS EXERCISED ONLY BY COURTS THROUGH FAIR JUDGEMENT, THROUGH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS AND BY
OTHER MEANS DETERMINED BY THE LAW

• - THE JUDICIAL POWER RESTS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, THE SUPREME COURT, THE COURTS OF
APPEAL, COMMON COURTS AND OTHER SPECIALIZED COURTS OF THE COUNTRY

• - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: HAS THE POWER TO EXAMINE THE CONFORMITY OF SEVERAL LAWS, DECREES,
ORDERS, RESOLUTIONS AND LEGAL ACTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF AZERBAIJAN, CONTROLS THE ACTIVITY OF
DIFFERENT STATE BODIES AND OFFICIALS

• - SUPREME COURT: AS THE HIGHEST JUDICIAL BODY REGARDING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES, IT SHALL
ADMINISTER AS A COURT OF CASSATION INSTANCE AND PROVIDE CLARIFICATIONS ON THE ISSUES RELATED TO
THE JUDICIAL PRACTICE

• - COURTS OF APPEAL: APPEAL PROTESTS MADE FROM THE DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE COURT OF THE FIRST
INSTANCE
LEGAL SYSTEM DURING SOVIET UNION
• AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE AZERBAIJAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, THE
GOVERNMENT WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE MILITARY REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE OF
AZERBAIJAN. IN APRIL 1920, BAKU BECAME THE CAPITAL OF THE SOVIET SOCIALIST
REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN - THE AZERBAIJAN SSR.
• THE AZERBAIJANI SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC LASTED 71 YEARS. IT WAS PART OF THE
TRANSCAUCASIAN SOVIET FEDERATED SOCIALIST REPUBLIC FROM 1922 UNTIL 1936 AND, LIKE
GEORGIA AND ARMENIA, IT EXPERIENCED CONSIDERABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
URBANIZATION, AND INDUSTRIALIZATION. BAKU OIL PLAYED A GREAT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT
AND REHABILITATION OF USSR ECONOMICS.ALTHOUGH EDUCATION IN AZERBAIJAN WAS
PROMOTED AND AZERBAIJANIS WERE PLACED IN POSITIONS OF POWER, THE REPUBLIC WAS
TIGHTLY CONTROLLED BY MOSCOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE YEARS OF JOSEPH STALIN’S RULE
(1928–53). BECOMING A MORE URBAN, EDUCATED, AND SOCIALLY MOBILE SOCIETY, AZERBAIJAN
WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN MORE TRADITIONAL, UNDERDEVELOPED RURAL AREAS AND THE
COSMOPOLITAN CITY OF BAKU. AFTER THE DEATH OF STALIN, THE REPUBLIC ENJOYED
SOMEWHAT GREATER AUTONOMY, AND THE NATIONAL POLITICAL AND INTELLECTUAL ELITES
FLOURISHED.
SYSTEM AFTER SOVIET UNION
AFTER GAINING OF INDEPENDENCE AZERBAIJANI LEGAL SYSTEM HAS UNDERGONE
FUNDAMENTAL REFORMS.

AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE LEGAL REFORMS IN THE COUNTRY IS RELATED TO ADOPTION

OF A NEW CONSTITUTION IN AZERBAIJAN IN 1995.

SINCE THAT CONSTITUTION WAS AMENDED THREE TIMES IN 2002, 2009 AND 2016.

ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY REFORMS RELATED TO

PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATIVE ACTS SUCH AS, "THE LAW ON CONSTITUTIONAL COURT", "THE
LAW ON COURTS AND JUDGES", "THE LAW ON POLICE", "THE LAW ON OPERATIONAL-
INVESTIGATIONAL ACTIVITY", LAW JUDICIAL LEGAL COUNCIL, CRIMINAL AND CIVIL
PROCEDURE CODES, ETC.

LEGAL REFORMS INTRODUCED NEW THREE STAGE - FIRST INSTANCE, APPELLATE AND
SUPREME COURT SYSTEM IN AZERBAIJAN AND ENSURED ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM OTHER
BRANCHES OF POWER.
CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION
ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT
The two former Soviet states have clashed over Nagorno-Karabakh, an
Armenian-controlled enclave internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, for three decades.
FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER-CENTURY, AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE INITIATIVE, KNOWN AS
THE MINSK PROCESS, HAS TRIED AND FAILED TO BRING A RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT
OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH AFTER THE CEASE-FIRE IN THE REGION IN 1994.
CHAIRED BY FRANCE, RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE, THE MINSK GROUP HAS
SOUGHT TO PREVENT MILITARY CLASHES AND TO IMPLEMENT A PEACE SETTLEMENT.
• THE DAM BROKE IN SEPTEMBER 2020, AND FULL-FLEDGED WAR INDEED RESUMED ON
THE 27TH OF THAT MONTH. SIX WEEKS OF BLOODY ARMED CONFLICT FINALLY ENDED IN
THE EARLY HOURS OF 10 NOVEMBER WITH A CEASEFIRE BROKERED BY THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION. ALTHOUGH THE DEAL REMAINS SHORT OF A CLEAR AND STABLE PEACE, IT
BROUGHT AN END TO THE DEADLIEST FIGHTING THE REGION HAD WITNESSED IN NEARLY
THREE DECADES. BY ITS TERMS, AZERBAIJAN NOW AGAIN CONTROLS IN FULL THE SEVEN
DISTRICTS ADJACENT TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH THAT ARMENIAN FORCES HAD HELD
SINCE THE PREVIOUS WAR. IT ALSO HOLDS A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF NAGORNO-
KARABAKH ITSELF. THE BALANCE IS PATROLLED BY A RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE
BUT STILL GOVERNED BY SELF-PROCLAIMED LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
• RECENTLY, THE ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTERS MET IN NEW YORK ON
SEPTEMBER 24 FOR TALKS HOSTED BY THE U.S., RUSSIAN, AND FRENCH DIPLOMATS CO-
CHAIRING THE OSCE MINSK GROUP. IN A JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE TALKS, THE
MEDIATORS REITERATED THAT THEY ARE READY TO “CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE SIDES
TO FIND COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO ALL REMAINING ISSUES RELATED TO OR
RESULTING FROM THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT.
TRADE AND ECONOMY
ECONOMY
• ECONOMIC FACTS (2020)
• POPULATION: 10.1 MIL.
• GDP PER CAPITA (USD): 4.218
• UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 6.5
• GDP GROWTH: -4,3%
• INFLATION RATE: 2,8%
• CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE: $8 BLN.
IN COMPARISON (2019)
• THE NUMBER 89 ECONOMY IN THE WORLD
IN TERMS OF GDP (CURRENT US$),
• THE NUMBER 74 IN TOTAL EXPORTS,
• THE NUMBER 88 IN TOTAL IMPORTS,
• THE NUMBER 107 ECONOMY IN TERMS OF
GDP PER CAPITA (CURRENT US$)
• THE NUMBER 90 MOST COMPLEX
ECONOMY ACCORDING TO THE ECONOMIC
COMPLEXITY INDEX (ECI).
HISTORY ECONOMIC GROWTH

• LESS DEVELOPED INDUSTRIALLY THAN ARMENIA & GEORGIA THROUGHOUT THE SOVIET PERIOD
• POST-SOVIET TRANSITION INTO A MAJOR OIL BASED ECONOMY
• THE TRANSITION TO OIL PRODUCTION LED TO REMARKABLE GROWTH FIGURES
• 26.4% IN 2005 (SECOND HIGHEST GDP GROWTH IN THE WORLD IN 2005 ONLY TO EQUATORIAL GUINEA)
• 34.6% IN 2006 (WORLD HIGHEST)
• SUBSIDING TO 10.8% AND 9.3% IN 2008 AND 2009

Year 1993 1995 2000 2005 2006 2009 2012 2017 2020
GDP 1.57 2.417 2.273 13.246 20.983 44.291 69.684 40.866 42.607
(current Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln. Bln.
US$)
Current situation
 Azerbaijan is considered one of the most important areas in the world for oil exploration
and development because:
o tap deep-water oilfields untouched by the Soviets because of poor technology
o oil reserves in the Caspian Basin, which Azerbaijan shares with Russia, Kazakhstan,
Iran, and Turkmenistan, are comparable in size to the North Sea,

 But since mid-2014 the slump in crude prices has hit the former Soviet republic
particularly hard.
 GDP (CURRENT US$) GROWTH
1993 1995 2000 2005 2006 2009 2012 2017 2020

69,684
44,291

42,607
40,866
20,983
13,246
2,417

2,273
1,57

GD P (C U R R EN T U S$)
TRADE

TRADE OVERVIEW IN FIGURES IMPORTS

EXPORTS THE TOP IMPORTS OF AZERBAIJAN ARE:

THE TOP EXPORTS OF AZERBAIJAN ARE: • GOLD ($2.86B),

• CRUDE PETROLEUM ($14.8B), • CARS ($545M),

• PETROLEUM GAS ($2.37B), • REFINED PETROLEUM ($358M),

• REFINED PETROLEUM ($440M), • WHEAT ($311M),

• TOMATOES ($189M • PACKAGED MEDICAMENTS ($236M),

• GOLD ($179M),
• EXPORTING MOSTLY TO ITALY ($5.53B), TURKEY • IMPORTING MOSTLY FROM UNITED KINGDOM ($2.48B),
($2.88B), ISRAEL ($1.33B), GERMANY ($958M), AND INDIA RUSSIA ($2.38B), TURKEY ($1.76B), CHINA ($820M), AND
($946M). GERMANY ($551M).
TRADE WITH THE EU
• THE EU IS AZERBAIJAN'S MAIN TRADING PARTNER,
ACCOUNTING FOR AROUND 36.7 % OF AZERBAIJAN'S
TOTAL TRADE.
• THE EU CONTINUES TO BE AZERBAIJAN'S BIGGEST
EXPORT AND SECOND BIGGEST IMPORT MARKET WITH A
51 % SHARE IN AZERBAIJAN'S EXPORTS AND A 16 %
SHARE IN AZERBAIJAN'S IMPORTS.
• EU IMPORTS FROM AZERBAIJAN CHIEFLY CONSIST OF
MINERAL FUELS, LUBRICANTS AND RELATED MATERIALS.
OTHER EU IMPORTS FROM AZERBAIJAN INCLUDE MAINLY
FOOD AND LIVE ANIMALS, CHEMICALS AND RELATED
PRODUCTS AND CERTAIN MANUFACTURED GOODS.
• EU EXPORTS TO AZERBAIJAN ARE DOMINATED BY
MACHINERY AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT. OTHER EU
EXPORTS TO AZERBAIJAN INCLUDE MAINLY CHEMICALS
AND RELATED PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED GOODS AND
ARTICLES, AND FOOD AND LIVE ANIMALS.
SOURCES
HTTPS://BAKUCITY.PRESLIB.AZ/EN/PAGE/MWATNHJO5C
HTTPS://WWW.BBC.COM/NEWS/WORLD-EUROPE-
54882564HTTP://COUNTRYSTUDIES.US/AZERBAIJAN/10.HTM
HTTPS://WWW.BRITANNICA.COM/PLACE/AZERBAIJAN
HTTP://WWW.SUPREMECOURT.GOV.AZ/EN/STATIC/VIEW/27
HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/ECONOMY_OF_AZERBAIJAN
HTTP://COUNTRYSTUDIES.US/AZERBAIJAN/10.HTM