Defendants Themselves to Pay for Their Delivery to Their Homeland

Persons hiding from the investigation outside the country will be forced to pay the cost of their return home after the arrest.

The Milli Majlis adopted the relevant changes in this regard in the Criminal Procedure Code in the first reading. The draft law was posted on the website of Parliament.

The draft provides for the introduction of amendments to Article 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Article 197 of the Code is called Legal Expenses. This article provides a list of costs that may be imposed on convicts by court decision. From now on, the costs of transporting the accused to their homeland from abroad will be considered as legal costs.

The Milli Majlis accepted the changes in the first reading on October 30.

According to the criminal procedural law, legal costs may be imposed on the convicted person. Judicial costs are the costs of the suspect and the accused, the defender providing free legal assistance, an interpreter, a specialist, and an expert. These costs by a court decision can be seized from the convict and transferred to the state or to a natural or legal person who incurred the expenses.

If the convict is not able to pay court costs or the court costs will seriously damage the financial situation of those who are dependent on him, then the court may fully or partially release the convict from legal fees.