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Azerbaijan The Court System
The legal system of Azerbaijan has changed little from the
system of the Soviet period. The national Supreme Court serves as
a court of appeals; below it are two levels of judicial
jurisdiction, the district and municipal courts. These courts,
supposedly independent, are not immune to political manipulation,
as evidenced by Aliyev's ouster of the chief justice of the
Supreme Court in July 1993 because of the judge's support for
Elchibey and the APF.
Trials are generally public, and defendants have the right to
choose their own attorney, be present at their own trials,
confront witnesses, present evidence, and appeal the verdict. In
cases involving national security or sex offenses, a judge may
decide to hold a closed trial. Despite the other stipulated
rights of the defendant, the presumption of innocence has not
been incorporated specifically into the criminal code. Thus the
decision of the state prosecutor to bring a case to trial has
considerable bearing on the final verdict.
Data as of March 1994
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