Council of Europe wants Azerbaijan to establish probation system

The Council of Europe offered to establish probation system in Azerbaijan, Veronika Kotek, Special Representative of the CoE Secretary General in Azerbaijan, said at the conference on the outcomes of the project of Azerbaijani Justice Ministry and Council of Europe "Support for Prison Reform in Azerbaijan."

She said Azerbaijan is the only CoE member state that does not have probation system.

“If the Azerbaijani government is interested, we can continue cooperation in this field,” she said.

Deputy chief of Azerbaijani Justice Ministry’s Penitentiary Service Huseyn Alikhanov said establishment of this system should be taken into consideration and discussed.

“But everything here depends on the crimes. There are crimes, for which it is impossible to apply the punishments envisaged in the probation system. Azerbaijani officials have stated several times that courts apply grave sentences on the persons accused of committing crimes. Instructions have also been given to the courts about it,” he said.

Probation is a sentence which may be imposed by a court in lieu of incarceration. An offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, under the supervision of a probation officer.


/APA/