Crime prevention and public security effectively ensured

09.07.2021

On July 9, the Ministry of Internal Affairs held a board meeting via videoconferencing devoted to the results of activities in combating crime, protection of public order, and maintenance of public security in 6 months of 2021 as well as the forthcoming tasks.

Opening the meeting, Minister of Internal Affairs Colonel-General Vilayat Eyvazov emphasized that the first half of the current year has become another successful reporting period and noted that the internal affairs authorities and Internal Troops worthily discharged their daily duties in combating crime, carrying out control of the special quarantine regime, and protection of human rights and freedoms, as well as effectively ensured security at a number of relevant international and national public events and in the territories liberated from occupation. It has been noted that 14,058 crimes were registered in the internal affairs and prosecution authorities and the crime detection rate improved in 6 months of 2021.

The Minister emphasized that state prizes were awarded to 26 employees and 12 servicemen on the eve of the professional holiday of the police and Internal Troops by orders of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, 4 senior officials were  awarded with high special rank as well as state awards were presented to 1690 servicemen who performed combat tasks in the Patriotic war, including 4 persons who were awarded the title of “Hero of the Patriotic War” as well as hundreds of decorated distinguished employees and servicemen.

At the same time, Colonel General Eyvazov noted that there are shortcomings and defaults in the activities and emphasized the importance of their elimination by discussing in detail and identifying additional organizational measures.

 Delivering the report, the Deputy Minister Police General Lieutenant Seyfulla Azimov noted that 84.3 percent of registered crimes were crimes not posing great threat to public safety and minor offenses, the number of intentional homicides decreased by 1.3 percent, attempted homicides decreased by 11 per cent, thefts decreased by 31 percent, robberies decreased by 34 percent, plunders decreased by 8 per cent, auto thefts decreased by 9.6 percent, hooliganism crimes decreased by 6.4 percent, gun crimes decreased by 32 percent, traffic accidents decreased by 0.5 percent, traffic-related death rate decreased by 11, and the number of injured in traffic accidents decreased by 0.5 percent from the same period last year; as well as 207 unsolved crimes of the previous years were solved jointly with the prosecution agencies, 2200 wanted persons including 248 persons accused of grave and especially grave crimes were detained.

435 criminal groups were neutralized in the result of activities carried out in the field of combating organized crime, 110 persons who illegally held and carried firearms were brought to criminal responsibility, 1 ton 843 kilograms of narcotic drugs were removed from illegal circulation that is 776 kilogram more than in 6 months of the previous year and about 140 tons of illegally cultivated narcotic plants were detected and destroyed.

Chiefs of subdivisions of the Ministry’s Apparatus and chiefs of regional police offices delivered their speeches on the report and shared information on the work done, achieved results as well as on the existing shortcomings and defaults and planned remedial actions.

Summing up the meeting, Minister Vilayat Eyvazov drew attention to the cases that negatively affect the general work in territorial police bodies along with the positive results obtained and gave instructions and recommendations demanding to pay special attention to the elimination of such negative facts and other tasks. The Minister demanded that all chiefs of every police body develop positive results achieved in combating crime, maintenance of public order and internal security, greater determination of the personnel, and improve the professionalism of employees.

Referring to the state of combating drug trafficking, Vilayat Eyvazov positively assessed the work done in the relevant field in recent years.

At the same time, addressing the citizens, he noted that drug trafficking and drug addiction has become a topic of major concern for the whole mankind and the fight against this scourge is one of the main tasks of the law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan. The Minister also mentioned that while there is an annual increase in the volume of drugs seized from illicit trafficking, attempts to import them into the country are also increasing and the situation raises the risk of drug abuse by young people.

Vilayat Eyvazov noted that critical publications in the media and various opinions expressed in discussions on social networks are a normal phenomenon, and that any position and public opinion are treated with respect. The Minister also added that he agrees with public attention to this issue and emphasized the importance of every citizen’s contribution to the efforts for addressing this threat. He said that many successful operational measures in combating illegal drug trafficking were conducted based on the information received from citizens and thanked those who demonstrate engagement in civic activities.

Touching upon the explanatory work carried out among minors and young people, the Minister noted that this work is more effective when it is based on concrete real-world examples, and in all cases, the main emphasis should be on reducing the demand for drugs in the country.

He also noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-drug events were regularly held in all educational institutions of the republic and emphasized the importance of active participation of youth organizations in such events and the help of citizens in the field of anti-drug propaganda especially in the conditions of the special quarantine regime introduced in the country.

Mr. Eyvazov stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs relies upon the mature layers of the society and every reasonable citizen in this matter and expects more activity from the media, active users of social networks, including bloggers, and expressed confidence that the "Say NO to drugs!" slogan will be supported by everyone.

Colonel General Vilayat Eyvazov expressed deep gratitude to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on behalf of the personnel for the high-level attention paid to the internal affairs bodies, appreciation of their activities and trust, and assured that the duties in the field of public order maintenance and law and order protection in the republic would continue to be performed adequately and to the full extent.