Afət Ziyadqızı
President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree pardoning a group of people convicted of imprisonment and releasing them from the unserved portion of their sentences. Under the decree, Azerbaijani and foreign nationals included in the list have been released from their sentences.
Speaking to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Milli Majlis (National Assembly) member Fazil Mustafa said that the head of state’s power to grant pardons is enshrined in the Constitution:
“The president’s power to grant pardons is enshrined in the Constitution. Therefore, the decision was made in accordance with this right. The release of two war veterans under the decree is particularly encouraging. This decree is also a clear indication of the attention paid to war veterans. The other people on the list are foreign nationals who committed various types of crimes. Apparently, their remorse and other considerations were taken into account, and the public danger posed by their actions has been eliminated. Since they will also be sent back to their countries, the decision was made because they no longer pose any threat to Azerbaijan.”
Pardon decrees are issued by the president within the constitutional framework and may take into account factors such as the nature of the offense, the conduct of those convicted and humanitarian considerations. The release of war veterans also underscores the state’s continued attention to people who took part in the defense of Azerbaijan.
