The PGGII Project in Azerbaijan continues to support the national authorities in their efforts towards setting up an effective asset recovery system in the country. Following up on the extensive assessment of the legal and institutional framework for asset recovery in Azerbaijan and related recommendations, and building on tailored capacity building previously provided by the Project, the government developed draft legal amendments to introduce parallel financial investigations and non-conviction-based confiscation. 

With a view to ensure the compliance of the proposed legislative changes with international standards and best practices, as well as their effectiveness, a consultative online discussion took place with the representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan on 30 August 2022. The meeting allowed to discuss the national legislative framework and processes related to the draft amendments, as well as clarify specific aspects addressed in the draft legal provisions. The results of the discussion will be incorporated into a Technical Paper containing a detailed analysis of the draft legal amendments and a set of recommendations to address relevant international requirements and improve the national confiscation regime.

These new legal instruments, once approved, will serve as powerful mechanisms to facilitate the confiscation and return of criminal proceeds resulting from serious crimes. The objective of this endeavour undertaken by the project is to bolster the government’s initiatives in the area of asset recovery, thus contributing to the global aim of fighting against economic crime. 

This meeting was organised within the framework of the project “Strengthening anti-money laundering and asset recovery in Azerbaijan”, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance II.