In preparation of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Azerbaijan in 2023, Lawyers for Lawyers and the Law Society of England and Wales have written a mid-term report. In this report, we set out to what extent Azerbaijan has implemented the recommendations it accepted during the 2018 UPR process in relation to the role of lawyers.
During the UPR in 2018, Azerbaijan accepted four recommendations with respect to the effective protection of lawyers, including disciplinary measures taken against lawyers, and access to justice. Our report concludes that Azerbaijan has not adequately implemented the four recommendations with respect to lawyers.
The Azerbaijani authorities have failed to respect the rights of lawyers by not adequately enabling them to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. Furthermore, the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to take substantive steps to uphold the right to a fair trial and to guarantee that every citizen has effective access to justice and legal assistance of their choice.
We urge the authorities of Azerbaijan to:
- respect the rights of lawyers, guarantee that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference, and guarantee that lawyers are not being subjected to disbarment or other disciplinary measures on improper grounds, in line with Principles 16(a) and (c), 23 and 27 of the Basic Principles and Article 19 ICCPR. Azerbaijan should ensure that there are fair and transparent admission proceedings into the legal profession. Azerbaijan should implement recommendations 140.70 and 141.13 fully and without any delay;
- uphold the right to fair trial and guarantee that every citizen has effective access to justice and legal assistance of their choice, in line with the Preamble and Principle 1 of the Basic Principles, Azerbaijan should implement recommendations 141.68 and 140.73 fully and without any delay.
Click here to read the report.
