The studies were conducted to facilitate the accountability for the facilitation and decriminalization of crimes committed in the field of economy and a relevant law project was adopted in accordance with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s order signed on May 20.

The Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic was adopted in 1999. Since its adoption, the development of economy in Azerbaijan and the economic processes have led to an increase in the cost of products and services and profits of people. However, there is not an increase in the charges for the criminal responsibilities in the Criminal Code.

As the charges for the criminal responsibilities in the Criminal Code remained unchanged, legal proceedings were taken against most of the entrepreneurs who did not pose threat to the public. The charges were increased to prevent these kinds of cases.

Previously, legal proceeding was taken against entrepreneurs who avoided paying taxes and customs fees valuing 2000 AZN. When the new law comes in force, the criminal responsibility has been increased by 10 times- 20000 AZN. In this manner, entrepreneurs who avoided paying taxes and customs fees valuing 20000 AZN will be subjected to the administrative responsibility. This is the decriminalization of the criminal responsibilities valuing that amount.

Moreover, in crimes chapter for the economic field of activity, the deed which causes criminal responsibility was amounted to1000 AZN. The amount was increased up to 20 times in regard with the law change. This is the decriminalization of the criminal responsibilities valuing that amount.

According to other alteration, people committing illegal and entrepreneurship crimes for the first time, which do not pose a serious threat to the public will be liberated when they pay the illegally gained money to the state budget.

Totally 24 entrepreneurship criminal responsibilities are eased as a result of this alteration .

According to the statistical analysis, basically increase of the criminal responsibility cost decriminalizes approximately 40% of criminal cases of tax evasion and 30% of illegal entrepreneurship criminal cases.

Note, people committing these actions will not be able to avoid the criminal responsibility. Because of the lower scale of the crime, charges and other cautions defined by the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be applied.

Along with this, other alternative and proportionally equal charges to the sanction of imprisonment are defined (for example, 2 or 4 times more in case of more damage, 3-5 times more in extreme cases).

According to decriminalized actions, prisoners and people who pay the charge will be free of the penalty until this law comes into force.

They as well as people who imprisoned and charged previously for these actions are not considered previous prisoners, as these actions are not stated as a criminal case in the mentioned law.

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