BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. New punishments for
creating or leading a terrorist organization, or for participating
in its activities, have been approved in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.


President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed
relevant amendments to the Criminal Code and the law "On combating
terrorism".


According to the document, a new Article 214-4 is added to the
Criminal Code, which establishes criminal liability for creating,
leading, or participating in the activities of a terrorist
organization. According to this article, creating a terrorist
organization or leading such an organization or its structural unit
is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 14 years.
Membership in a terrorist organization or participation in its
activities is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 7 to 12
years.


The note to the article stipulates that a person who is a member
of a terrorist organization or participates in its activities is
exempted from criminal liability if he/she, assists in the
prevention of criminal acts, the detection of persons who created,
led, participated in the activities of, or financed a terrorist
organization, by timely notifying the authorities or otherwise, and
if his/her actions don't constitute another crime.


According to the law, Article 282 of the Criminal Code is being
reworded. Thus, new objects are added to Article 282.1, such as the
purpose of weakening scientific and technical potential, as well as
disrupting the normal functioning of critical information
infrastructure, energy, transport, and telecommunications
networks.


Besides, the methods of committing sabotage include the use of
practical artificial intelligence technologies and special
software.


According to the document, Article 282.2 provides for several
new aggravating circumstances. These aggravating circumstances
include the commission of the provocation by a criminal group, the
commission of the act during a state of emergency or martial law,
an emergency social environment, as well as mass unrest, the
commission of the act by a person using his official position, and
the negligent act causing death or other serious consequences.


According to the note part of Article 282 of the Code, a person
who participated in the preparation of a provocation is exempted
from criminal liability if he or she assists in the prevention of
such an act by timely notifying the authorities or in another
manner, and if his or her act does not constitute another
crime.