Azerbaijan Constitutional Court clarifies Criminal Code provisions

The Plenum of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan, chaired by Farhad Abdullayev, has issued rulings clarifying specific provisions of the Criminal Code following inquiries from the Ombudsman and the Shaki District Court.

Regarding Article 133.1 of the Criminal Code, the Court ruled that the provision is consistent with the Constitution. The decision clarified the concept of “regularity” in battery offenses, defining it as actions carried out with a single intent, occurring three or more times within a specific timeframe, and resulting in intense physical pain.

In a separate matter concerning Article 288.2, the Court addressed the definition of a “defender.” The Plenum determined that the term includes lawyers providing legal assistance to suspects or defendants in criminal proceedings, as well as those providing legal aid to individuals subject to administrative offense proceedings. This interpretation aims to ensure legal certainty and protect lawyers from threats related to their professional activities.