Azerbaijan toughens penalties for terrorist activity

Azerbaijan’s parliament has adopted amendments to the Criminal Code and the law on combating terrorism, tightening penalties for terrorist activity.

The Criminal Code now includes a new article establishing liability for creating, leading or participating in a terrorist organisation.

Creating or leading such an organisation will be punishable by 10 to 14 years in prison, while participation will carry a sentence of seven to 12 years.

The amendments also broaden provisions on sabotage to cover critical information infrastructure, energy, transport and telecommunications networks.

The use of artificial intelligence technologies and special software is now listed among possible methods of sabotage.

The law also allows exemption from liability for those who report a planned offence in time or help prevent it, provided their actions do not contain another criminal offence.