January 26 - An extended collegiate meeting devoted to the results of crime prevention, public order and public security maintenance in 2015 and the current challenges was held in the new conference hall of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Opening the meeting with the introductory speech, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Colonel General Ramil Usubov noted that the stable development model established in Azerbaijan in the result of the successful multifaceted activity of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has provided progress of our country over 2015 in spite of the global crisis and challenging situation in the world and enabled Azerbaijan to keep its key position of an energetic state and to ensure social security, internal stability and effective maintenance of public order.

It was mentioned that in accordance with the President’s decrees, orders and commissions all performance targets were accomplished in the field of protection of lawful interests of citizens and state against criminal attempts in cooperation with other law enforcement and security agencies, and the criminal situation in the country was kept under control. As before, our republic leads among the CIS countries and Europe by the lowest number of crimes per each 100.000 persons in 2015.

Further, the meeting agenda was announced and the Minister of Internal Affairs delivered a report. He mentioned that 29,916 crimes were registered by all state authorities which were carrying out operational-search and investigation activities during the reporting period. 87.5 % of them were unlawful acts under pre-trial investigation by the internal affairs bodies and prosecution agencies. 84.2% of them were the crimes not constituting considerable social threat and less grave crimes, and only 15.8% were grave and especially grave crimes. As compared with 2014, the number of intentional homicides decreased by 7.3%, the number of intentional bodily injuries decreased by 6.7%, the number of facts of hooliganism decreased by 4.5%, the number of auto thefts decreased by 26.6%, the number of livestock thefts decreased by 17.1%, the number of juvenile crimes decreased by 2.4%, the number of crimes committed in public places decreased by 2%, the number of road traffic accidents decreased by 15.7%, traffic fatalities decreased by 20.5% and the number of injured decreased by 15.4%.
In the result of conducted investigation and operational activities, intentional homicide solving rate improved by 9% (98.2%) and attempted homicide solving rate improved by 7.5 (93.8%). Solving of crimes connected with armed robbery, kidnapping, tortures and rapes was provided to the fullest extent. 344 cases unsolved in previous years were solved jointly with the prosecution authorities.
Application of IT in crime prevention and protection of rights, life and health of injured or aggrieved persons also has played a major role. Owing to the quick response measures taken based on the information received by the “102” service, 1280 crimes were solved without delay. In addition, prompt actions taken for citizens’ applications received by “102” service made it possible to prevent 10,687 offences.

With the technical capabilities of the “Safe City” service 348 crimes were solved, 11,713 traffic accidents including auto-pedestrian accidents were detected, and 111 wanted vehicles were detained. In general, crime solving improved by 1.7% as compared with 2014 and made 82.4%.
It was stated that efforts on ensuring of inevitable punishment for committed action are also kept under control. Performance indicators of search for accused persons also increased by 1.4%. 2534 persons fleeing from prosecution were detained. Location of 74 persons on the wanted list of the Interpol's National Central Bureau and 31 persons wanted in the member-states of this organization was identified. In total, 69.1% of wanted persons were detained. At the same time, 13,392 persons who committed various crimes, including 2457 persons who committed grave and especially grave crimes, were brought to trial.
In the result of organized crime prevention measures and operations, 923 organized crime groups which committed 2637 crimes including 842 grave and especially grave crimes were neutralized.
In the result of operational activities taken in the field of protection of economic security of the state more than 45% of crime connected with counterfeit money production and sale were detected. In the result, 2167 counterfeit banknotes in an aggregate amount of 71,000 manats, 79,100 USD and 225,000 roubles were recalled from illegal circulation as well as over 6 tons of expired foods and construction materials were removed from sales.
Consistent efforts were made in the field of combating drug trafficking and trafficking in human beings as the types of transnational organized crime. 2935 facts of crimes connected with drugs were detected and 63 criminal groups consisting of 169 persons were neutralized. 786 of these crimes were connected with drug trafficking. The quantity of drugs withdrawn from illegal trafficking was 138 kg more than in the same period of the previous year and made a total of 810.5 kg, and the quantity of drugs prevented from entry to the country was 20 kg more than in the same period of the previous year and made 95.6 kg. About 169 tons of green basis weight of illegally cultivated hashish and opium were liquidated.
In the result of operational activities carried out in accordance with the National Action Plan against trafficking in human beings, 12% more crimes or 109 facts of crime were detected. Eight criminal groups consisting of 17 persons were neutralized and 63 victims of trafficking in human beings were reintegrated.
Investigation of 31,300 criminal cases was conducted by the law enforcement agencies of the republic over the past year, and 80% of them were in proceedings of the internal affairs bodies.
At the same time, the situation with material damage indemnification improved by 0.9% and made 79.1%. During the reporting year, 88% of criminal information received by police bodies was investigated by investigators and 54.2% of such information was referred to court that is 5% more than in the same period of the previous year.
The reporter also mentioned positive results obtained in preventive measures taken in the field of one of the key areas of activities, maintenance of traffic safety. The number of vehicles taken into state registration in the republic increased by 31,028 and reached 1,339,568 vehicles, and against the background of this increase the number of traffic accidents, traffic fatalities and injured persons decreased markedly.
It was mentioned that one of the factors promoting these positive trends was strengthening of control over the road traffic. The number of administrative traffic-related offences detected in the reporting period increased by 7.5% and was 2,531,843 facts as compared with 2014. Among them, the number of cases of drunk driving increased by 2.5%, the number of cases of excessive speed increased by 15.3% and the number of cases of overtaking and manoeuvre rules violation increased by 40.5% as compared with the previous year.
In whole, across the country, the internal affairs bodies made 2,641,284 protocols on administrative offences that is 7.1% more than in 2014. In the result, 2,543,406 persons were fined, 4036 persons were detained under administrative procedure, and 42,030 persons got a notice.
It was also noted that 919,289 citizens received regular international passports and 1,289,122 persons were provided with ID cards within the scope of activities on issue of personal identification documents. Similar work was carried out in the Service Centre of the State Agency of Citizen Service and Social Innovations (ASAN).

It was also mentioned in the report that the Internal Troops, which are always in the focus of special attention and care of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, keep watch and ward over public order. Significant efforts were made for improvement of troops logistics and combat effectiveness of commanders, command units and military units.

Consistent steps for strengthening of military discipline improved moral and psychological environment in the Internal Troops, considerably strengthened subordination standards and prevented facts of group military hazing. A 5-fold decrease in the number of crimes committed by servicemen, 3.5-fold decrease in death cases, 24% decrease in the number of accidents, 2-fold decrease in serious disciplinary violations ad 21% decrease in the number of injuries was registered for the reporting period.
Activities of the Mobile Police Regiment in public order maintenance also was at an adequate level. Officers of this special designation police detachment detained 723 persons involved in various crimes including 86 wanted criminals and detected about 27,000 administrative violations.

Fulfillment of duties under the program set by the President in one of high-priority areas of the service - reception of citizens and consideration of their applications - was under continuous strict control and carried out routinely. The administration of the Ministry received 5040 citizens in Baku and 8 regions covering 64 districts and settled most of issues.
It was brought to the notice of the Collegium members that high demands were placed on protection of legitimacy in terms of significance of more effective organization service functions rendered to citizens. As a result, the number of police officers who committed violations of law decreased by 6.8%, the number of groundless arrests decreased by 32.3% and the number of rough treatment facts decreased by 5.3%. No facts of beating, torture and illegal search were registered. At the same time, the number of corruption offences was 30 and the number of the officers involved in corruption 3.7-fold. 16 of them were dismissed from service, and 7 officers were released from their posts.

Having touched upon some shortcomings and faults along with achieved success, the Minister attracted attention of the Collegium members to a necessity of comprehensive analysis of such shortcomings and faults, ways of their elimination and current challenges.
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Ahmad Ahmadov, Chief of the Main Police Headquarter of Baku City Mirgafar Seyidov, Chief of the Main Drug Enforcement Department Hazi Aslanov, Chief of the Main Investigations and Inquiry Directorate Sarvar Mehraliyev, Chief of Main Security Department Yashar Aliyev and others delivered their reports on the work done during the reporting period and specific measures and steps to be taken for elimination of shortcomings in their activities.
Summarizing the meeting, in addition to positive results achieved during 2015 the Minister touched upon certain facts connected with the failure of individual territorial agencies to respond adequately to the changing criminal situation, and failure to discharge commissions of the Collegium timely and to the full extent which has negative effect on the Ministry overall activities and gave specific commissions and recommendations to the meeting participants for paying special attention to the thorough analysis of such facts, ways of shortcomings elimination and fulfillment of tasks.

The Minister emphasized the importance of timely taking of all necessary organizational measures in territorial agencies, police departments and Internal Troops and keeping all facilities and forces in full readiness taking into account holding various public events in our republic including sport contests and international forums.
It was noted that early detection of actions aimed at dismantlement of statehood on grounds of religious animosity, radicalism and fanaticism, formation of illegal armed groups and involvement in their activities, carrying out terrorist activities, incitement of national, social and ethnic hatred, production and distribution of religious extremist materials and other similar actions, and their resolute prevention are of great importance and all operational and investigation activities in this area must be carried out in coordination with relevant law enforcement and special service agencies.

It was noted that the internal affairs bodies should apply best efforts to improve achieved positive results in crime prevention, public order and security maintenance, professionalism, and effectiveness of taken measures. Preventive work for minimization of the crime rate in the country should be improved and targeted measures should be taken. At the same time, prevention of domestic crimes and offences committed by previously convicted persons should be improved as well as awareness-raising activities in the field of distribution of drugs should be taken to the next level.
Mr. Usubov defined reliable protection of human rights and freedoms, extension of services to the public, application of state-of-the-art technology and consistent improvement of legitimacy as the primary goals facing the Ministry and its departments.