On 13 June 2019, the Council of Europe organized a conference in Baku to present to the national stakeholders the road map for improvement of the criminal justice system in Azerbaijan.

The road map document provides analysis and recommendations to modify the national criminal procedure legislation and practice in the light of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. The document was developed by a working group comprised of the Council of Europe international experts and national experts representing the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Collegium of Advocates of Azerbaijan Republic.

Ambassador Zoltan HERNYES, Head of Council of Europe Office in Azerbaijan, Mr. Mikhail LOBOV, Head of Human Rights Policy and Co-operation Department of the Council of Europe, Mr. Elchin KHALAFOV, Acting Rector of the Academy of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan Republic and Mr. William C. SOLLEY, Deputy Head of the Political Section, U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan addressed the audience at the opening session.

Presentation of the document was followed by lively discussions among the audience, which mainly included the representatives of state authorities of Azerbaijan, notably the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Parliament, Presidential Administration, Ombudsman Office, Judicial Legal Council, Constitutional Court, Prosecutor General’s Office, Bar Association, judges, prosecutors, lawyers and non-governmental organisations.

The road map document was prepared within the Project “Support to justice sector reform initiatives in Azerbaijan” funded by US Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).