Ecocide Bill Passes First Reading in Azerbaijan

October 8, 2024

Azerbaijan's parliament, the Milli Majlis, has passed the first reading of a bill that would introduce the crime of ecocide into the country's Criminal Code. Proposed by President Ilham Aliyev, the bill seeks to impose custodial sentences of 10 to 15 years for those convicted of committing severe environmental damage.

Summary:

Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, has proposed adding 'ecocide' to the country’s Criminal Code in a new bill entitled 'On Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.’
Article 104-1 of the new bill defines ecocide as ‘causing mass destruction of flora and fauna, poisoning natural resources, or other intentional ecological harm’.
The bill, which passed its first reading in the Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan), proposes custodial sentences of 10 to 15 years for those found guilty of the newly proposed crime.

You can find a copy of the proposed amendment on the Azerbaijan National Parliament’s website here.