The Supreme Court is talking about dialogue: in words or..?

The new Chairman of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, Inam Kerimov, has announced the launch of the "Themis Dialogue Platform" project. During a meeting with members of the bar association on April 20th, Kerimov emphasized the importance of modernizing the country's judicial system through the construction of courts that meet contemporary standards and the integration of innovative technologies in management. The goal of the "Themis Dialogue Platform" is to encourage active discussions with civil society institutions and improve legislation in the judicial and legal sphere.

Reforms in Azerbaijan's judicial and legal system have been a priority for the government, with President Ilham Aliyev signing a decree in April 2019 to deepen reforms in this area. The Supreme Court highlighted the significant changes that have taken place in the development of the judicial and legal system in Azerbaijan as a result of these reforms, including the expansion of courts' powers, the creation of new courts in the regions, and improvements in material support.

However, human rights activists such as Rufat Safarov, co-founder of the organization "Line of Defense," argue that reforms are still necessary at the legislative level and within the institutional framework to overcome the existing challenges in the judiciary. He praised Kerimov's "Themis Dialogue Platform" initiative, which seeks to engage with lawyers and human rights defenders to gather their opinions and recommendations on how to improve the situation in the courts.

Others, such as Bashir Suleymanli, the head of the Institute of Civil Rights, have expressed skepticism about the impact of the new platform. Suleymanli believes that systemic reforms are necessary to bring about real change, and that personnel changes alone will not be sufficient to achieve the desired outcome. He argues that cosmetic changes may take place, but fundamental issues such as the independence of the courts and the proper functioning of their electronic systems will remain unresolved.

As Azerbaijan faces new challenges and seeks to become a leader in the region, the success of the "Themis Dialogue Platform" will depend on the government's commitment to implementing meaningful reforms in the judicial and legal sphere.