Azerbaijan: Consequences of military service evasion; possibility of making payments to avoid criminal charges
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 31 March 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | AZE41226.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Azerbaijan: Consequences of military service evasion; possibility of making payments to avoid criminal charges, 31 March 2003, AZE41226.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d57e.html [accessed 24 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Azeri law stipulates that males aged 18 to 35 years are obligated to provide military service in Azerbaijan (TNA 25 Dec. 2001). The recent "On conscription into military service" decree signed by President Aliyev on 13 June 2002 identified those born between 1967 and 1984 as potential conscripts during the call-up period of 1 to 20 July 2002 (ibid. 14 June 2002). For earlier Responses concerning military service in Azerbaijan, please consult AZE39702.E of 1 October 2002, AZE32568.E of 31 August 1999 and AZE31865.E of 7 May 1999.
According to Taisiya Gordeeva of the NGO, Soldier's Mothers Association of Azerbaijan, some 2,600 individuals were in prison for evading military service in 2002 (Eurasianet.org 13 Dec. 2002). War Resisters International also reported this figure and noted that "nothing is known about [the detainees'] reasons of avoiding military service" (WRI 31 Oct. 2002).
In November 2002, Rafiq Aliyev of the Azerbaijani Committee for Work with Religious Structures stated that 2,000 draft-aged members of the Jehovah's Witness, Krishna and Protestant faiths were to be designated military evaders should they fail to respond to the military draft (ANS 1 Nov. 2002). WRI noted, however, that there were no cases of imprisoned conscientious objectors as of 31 October 2002 (31 Oct. 2002), and the Research Directorate did not find reports of arrests occurring after Aliyev's announcement. A draft alternative service law was reportedly scheduled for implementation in 2002 (WRI 31 Oct. 2002; Azernews 3-9 Oct. 2001; Zerkalo 31 July 2002); however, its passage into law was not reported among the sources consulted.
Incidents of individuals paying authorities to avoid criminal charges for draft evasion were not found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Taisiya Gordeeva told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that, although military conscripts are required to serve at least two years, it is possible for those with the means "to buy their way out of conscription" (11 Nov. 2002). The act of purchasing release from military service obligations was also mentioned in a Zerkalo article concerning the introduction of alternative service legislation in 2002 (31 July 2002).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
ANS TV [Baku, in Azeri]. 1 November 2002. "Azeri Religions Official Says Youths Evading Army on Religious Grounds" (BBC Worldwide Monitoring 2 Nov. 2002/NEXIS)
Azernews [Baku, Internet version in English]. 3-9 October 2001. No. 40 (222). "Milli Mejlis to Pass 24 Bills in Fall." Eurasianet.org. 13 December 2002. Eurasian Insight. Clare Doyle. "Azerbaijani Bluster Masks Military Weaknesses." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 11 November 2002. Chloe Arnold. "Azerbaijan: Mass Desertion is Final Humiliation for Failing Military." Turan News Agency (TNA) [Baku, in Russian]. 14 June 2002. "Azerbaijan: President Signs Decree on Conscription." (FBIS-SOV-2002-0614 14 June 2002/WNC)
_____. 25 December 2001. "Azeri Parliament Raises Upper Age Limit for Military Service." (BBC Worldwide Monitoring 25 Dec. 2001/NEXIS)
War Resisters International (WRI). 31 October 2002. Broken Rifle. No. 56. "Azerbaijan." Zerkalo [Baku, Internet version, in Russian]. 31 July 2002. E. Qarabalov. "Azerbaijan: Officials Comment on Alternative Military Service Proposals." (FBIS-SOV-2002-0815 31 July 2002/WNC)
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB Databases
Internet sites, including:
Amnesty International
Assa Irada News Agency
Asylum Law
Azerbaijan Daily Digest
AzerOnline
Child Soldiers
Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan
European Country of Origin Information Network
Human Rights Watch
Initiative for Social Action and Renewal in Eurasia (ISAR)
Legislation Online
Milli Mejlis (Azeri Parliament)
NIS Observed
Post-Soviet Armies Newsletter
Prima News Agency
Quaker Council for European Affairs
World News Connection
