Families to receive 20,000 manats if whistleblower dies

Families will receive a one-time payment of 20,000 manats if a person or their relative dies as a result of reporting corruption, according to a draft law under discussion in Azerbaijan.

Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the provision is included in a new draft law titled “On encouraging and protecting persons who report corruption-related offenses.”

The draft was discussed at a joint meeting today of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) committees on defense, security and the fight against corruption, and on legal policy and state building.

Under the draft, a person who reports a corruption-related offense, or their close relative or relative, would receive a one-time payment of 10,000 manats if they sustain bodily injuries because of the report. The payment would come from the budget of the organization where the person performs work or services under an employment contract, civil-law contract or other arrangement. For budget-funded organizations, the money would come from their maintenance budgets and extra-budgetary funds.

The proposed payments are part of measures intended to encourage people to report corruption-related offenses and provide protection for whistleblowers and their relatives. The provisions are contained in a draft law discussed by parliamentary committees; the article does not state that the measure has been adopted.