Azerbaijani sources report that on Tuesday the committee on Legal Policy and State Building and Human Rights of Parliament proposed changes to the law On freedom of assembly, at the joint meeting.
Member of the Committee on Legal Policy and State Building Rafael Jabrailov, who submitted the changes to the law, said the legislation of Azerbaijan provided administrative action against the organizers of illicit meetings, but not against the participants of these meetings.
He noted that now fines have no effect because of their being too small (13 manat).
According to amendments to the Criminal Code, if the unauthorized action causes significant damage to the freedom, rights and interests of others, the protesters will be fined 5000 – 8000 manat. For the use of firearms or knives, explosives and devices at such meetings will be a fine of 5000-8000 manat.
The source notes that there is an article under number 233 in the Criminal Code, which provides a penalty of five to eight thousand manat for gross violations of social rules and disobeying the lawful demands of the authorities.
After discussion, amendments to the law On the freedom of assembly are proposed for discussion in Parliament.
