President Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of a new office building of the Yasamal District Court.
The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the court and reviewed the building.
In the lobby there are photo stands reflecting the attention and care of great leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev for the development of the country’s judiciary.
The head of state reviewed the stands describing the previous and current buildings of the Yasamal District Court, the Nizami District Court of Ganja, the Gadabay District Court, as well as a draft of the modern court complex developed within the Justice Ministry’s project on the “Modernization of the judicial system” which is financed by the Government of Azerbaijan in cooperation with the World Bank.
Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Judicial Council Fikrat Mammadov informed President Ilham Aliyev that drafts of more than 20 new court buildings and judicial facilities which will house several courts had been prepared. The construction of a new building for the Oguz District Court was completed last year and of the Yasamal District Court of Baku, the Nizami District Court of Ganja and the Gadabay District Court this year. The construction of the Sabunchu and Shaki judicial complexes which will house several courts and a new building of the Guba District Court has already begun.
The head of state was informed that the Ministry of Justice is working closely with the European Commission in the area of efficiency of justice. Last year’s plenary session of the Commission gave a positive assessment to the process of selection of judges in Azerbaijan and recommended this experience to other European countries. The 31st Conference of European Justice Ministers held in Vienna in September saw a presentation of an analytical report about the judicial systems of all European states. The report notes that the rapid socioeconomic development of Azerbaijan helped deepen judicial reforms, implement large-scale projects aimed at improving the work of the courts and their infrastructure, in particular the preparation of a single concept for designing court buildings, construction of modern judicial complexes, investment in equipping courts with advanced information technologies.
It was noted that the new building of the Yasamal District Court was also part of the “Modernization of the judicial system” project. It is built in the national style of architecture and meets modern standards. The design has been carried out by “MDM” LLC and construction by “Afgan”.
The construction of the four-storey building began in March 2010. The building fitted with modern information and communication equipment is divided into administrative and public areas, each with a separate entrance. The administrative area is intended for judges and court staff, while the public area is meant for citizens. The working group of the Justice Ministry, public prosecutors and lawyers will use the public area. This will limit nonprocedural relations between judges and citizens who will meet only in the courtroom. The building houses two permanent structures – the district court and the executive branch. It was noted that according to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Yasamal District Court is well suited for the free movement of persons with disabilities. There is a special lift for them at the entrance, while the floors on the first floor are laid with special coating for the free movement of the visually impaired. The plaques indicating the names of all the rooms in the public area have special labels for the visually impaired.
President Ilham Aliyev reviewed courtroom No 1 where mainly criminal and if necessary other cases are considered.
Overall, the building has 12 courtrooms. Five are designed for criminal and seven for civil cases. Opposite the hall there are all the conditions for judicial proceedings. There are rooms for lawyers, public prosecutors, witnesses and bailiffs.
The courtroom has no analogues in the country in terms of the ICT equipment. It operates the “Themis” system to ensure accurate and rapid record-keeping of the proceedings and conduct audio and video recording. There is an infrastructure required for video conferencing and presentations, management of electronic documents, and IP modern security cameras. The defendants are not kept behind metal bars but, in accordance with international standards, in a special glass booth.
There is also a facility enabling defendants to communicate with their lawyer. The courtroom has a duly-equipped cabin for interpreters for cases involving foreigners. The courtroom has conference equipment for remote interrogation of the accused and witnesses without their presence in the courtroom.
During familiarization with the courtroom, a direct link was established with the Baku detention center.
It was noted that to ensure complete security, the building has 60 modern IP cameras, electronic metal detectors and X-ray machines to check suitcases and bags. There are turnstiles as well. It was noted that in order to simplify application procedures, ensure public awareness and provide transparent services, there are modern electronic information carriers on the first floor of the building, including an information desk, a kiosk, a large screen and a monitor mounted on the wall at the entrance to the courtroom. This allows citizens to easily obtain information about trials, their date, courtrooms, judges, etc. Citizens can also use bank and medical services and have tea here. The building is equipped with modern elevators and escalators. There is also a room of the mother and child.
President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the civil courtroom. It has the necessary equipment for conducting trials at a high level. On the fourth floor of the building there is a bas-relief of great leader Heydar Aliyev.
While reviewing the fully-equipped conference room on this floor, the head of state was informed that judges and court employees can directly link to the meetings and conferences of the Ministry of Justice and plenary sessions of the Supreme Court. In addition, using the “Bloostar” video phone system at the office of the court chairman it is possible to conduct video discussions with six structural leaders at the same time. The system has been used in Azerbaijan for the first time.
Then a video link was established with the Gadabay, Oguz District Courts and the Nizami District Court of Ganja, which were also part of the project carried out jointly with the World Bank. Talks were held with the chairmen of the said courts.
It was noted that the lower section of the Yasamal District Court has all the conditions for the accused. They are brought into the courtroom in a separate security elevator. The security room, the library, the office of clerks and the office for the execution of decisions also meet modern requirements.
It was noted that the Yasamal District Court, which provides services to almost 300,000 people, examines about 13,000 civil and criminal cases, cases on administrative offenses and procedural coercive measures each year.
After reviewing the new building of the Yasamal District Court, President Ilham Aliyev wished its team every success.
