Crime rate down in Azerbaijan
By Sabina Idayatova
The number of crimes committed in Azerbaijan decreased to 10,959 in 2012 from 11,953 in 2011, First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov has said.
Addressing specialized courses on electoral law for the chairmen of district election commissions at the Central Election Commission on July 31, Usubov said that compared to previous years, the cases of robbery dropped by 24 percent, thefts by 46 percent, and embezzlement of state property by 17.3 percent in the first half of this year. The number of homicides made up 180-190 in recent years. Whereas some 200-250 such crimes were not being disclosed a few years ago, the figure has now dropped to 15-16.
According to the deputy prosecutor general, in the first half of 2013, only 5 offenses of this kind were not disclosed.
Speaking about legislation envisaging liability for violation of election rights, Usubov informed the chairmen of district election commissions about the work of the Prosecutor General's Office, including the efforts of its anti-corruption department during the first half of 2013.
According to Usubov, the law enforcement bodies took comprehensive measures to combat corruption and achieved significant results. As a result of these efforts, 68 percent of respondents of a poll appreciated the work done, and 73 percent said the level of corruption in the country has not increased.
"We have to be active and to narrow the scope of corruption and bribery," Usubov said.
As a result of preventive measures against corruption, the Prosecutor General's Office has done a great deal in terms of expanding the application of information and communication technologies and ensuring transparency.
"The work being done for the comprehensive application of new information technologies and the creation of a centralized information and communication system at the Prosecutor General's Office is being positively evaluated. It is necessary to further improve and enhance technical capabilities of the system of 'Electronic circulation of documents' created by the Prosecutor General in the prosecution bodies," Usubov said.
He added that urgent measures have been taken in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev issued at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on July 11 on the need for a transition to an electronic system.
The deputy prosecutor general noted that necessary instructions have been issued for phased connection of the prosecution bodies in the capital Baku, as well as districts and city prosecutor's offices in the country, to the "Electronic circulation of documents" system; the creation of a video conference link with inferior entities; completion of measures to create an "electronic crime" information system and launching the implementation of this system.
Usubov also said some 52 percent of the prosecution bodies' employees are young people, and some 70 of them work at the Prosecutor General's Office.
More than 360 criminal gangs were neutralized in Azerbaijan in the first half of 2013. The figure was cited at an extended board meeting of the Interior Ministry devoted to the results of the fight against crime, protection of public order and public safety in the first half of the year and challenges ahead.
It was also noted during the meeting that compared to the first six months of last year, the crime disclosure rate improved and amounted to 87.4 percent and the number of solved crimes increased by 14.4 percent.
Law enforcers succeeded in neutralizing 361 gangs and 10 organized criminal groups, comprising a total of 1,039 people, and 1,130 crimes including 320 grave offenses committed by them were disclosed.
As part of the efforts to combat drug trafficking in the first half of the year, some 350 kilograms of drugs were impounded, which is 33 kg more than the amount seized during the same period of last year, Deputy Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov said at the meeting.
According to Eyvazov, during the reporting period 28 criminal groups consisting of 73 people were neutralized as part of the efforts to fight drug trafficking. Besides, smuggling of 33.5 kilograms of drugs into the country was prevented and 177.6 tons of narcotic plants were destroyed.