Parliament to tighten relation to "wrong" political parties

The Azerbaijani parliament will tighten relationship to "wrong" political parties. Such a conclusion can be drawn on amendments to the law of Azerbaijan "On political parties" and relevant legislation, discussed at today's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building.

The head of the Committee Ali Huseynli proposed tougher penalties for the following: 

activities of local branches of political parties in the premises of the government; 

for their involvement in the activities of state agencies and officials;

for grants and other forms of grants, prohibited by the law of Azerbaijan "On political parties";

for the establishment of branches of foreign political parties and foreign political parties and movements in the country;

for political activities after the liquidation of the party.

For those violations legal entities are subject to fines of 8 to 15 thousand mantas, officials - to 1.5 - 3 thousand manats, and individuals - to 750 - 1.5 thousand manats.

For repeated violations, individuals will face a fine of 1.5 - 3 thousand mantas, officials - 3 - 6 thousand manats, and legal persons - 15 - 30 thousand manats.

As Huseynli said, in the event of changes, there will be also changes in the Administrative Code, the Criminal Code, the Civil Code, the Procedural Code, and the laws "On Civil Service", "On Trade Unions", and "On Accounting".

Changes to the Criminal Code provide for a fine of 1.5-3 thousand manat for compulsion to join or remain in the ranks of a political party or hard labor for a term of 2 years or imprisonment for 2 years.

The project will be submitted to the next session of the Parliament. -17B-