Additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19: Limiting movement in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Decision #124 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated April 2, 2020 defines additional measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Under this decision, a limited movement has been established in the territory of the country from April 5, 2020 to April 20, 2020.

Permission of movement on the basis of service cards or a certificate of employment

The following persons are allowed to move on the basis of service cards or a certificate of employment:

• employees of the Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
• members of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and staff of the Parliament;
• heads of central and local executive authorities and their deputies;
• employees of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and Ombudsman;
• heads of state-owned legal entities, as well as public legal entities established on behalf of the state, and their deputies;
• employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• employees of the Ministry of Agriculture and its subordinate bodies;
• employees of the objects of state importance and life support, as well as enterprises operating continuously;
• employees of the state health bodies and institutions, private health care institutions;
• employees of law enforcement, judicial and military bodies, lawyers;
• employees of mass media;
• employees of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in the Republic of Azerbaijan and their local staff (on the basis of accreditation cards issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan).

Category of employees, that have to be entered into the electronic portal

Activities of the following employees are allowed, after the information on these employees is being entered into the portal "icaze.e-gov.az" by the employer, using an electronic signature:

• employees of the state bodies, state-owned legal entities, as well as public legal entities established on behalf of the state;
• employees of the private legal entities authorized to continue their activities in the areas determined by the Decision #120 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated March 30, 2020 and individuals and their employees carrying out entrepreneurial activities without establishing a legal entity;
• employees, that are required to ensure the protection and technical safety of private legal entities, which are not allowed to continue their activities.

Information on employees of the relevant state bodies and private legal entities as well as volunteers of the relevant volunteer organizations should be entered to the portal "icaze.e-gov.az" from 10:00 on April 3, 2020.

Permission for all other persons to leave the place of residence

All other persons are allowed to leave the place of residence in the following cases:

1. due to urgent medical necessity and to receive treatment on any schedule;
2. in connection with the need to purchase food and other daily necessities, as well as medicines, and to use banking and postal services; 
3. in connection with attending the funeral of a close relative.

Individuals mentioned above are allowed to leave the premises once in a day for each reason specified above under sections 1 and 2 for 2 hours, and section 3. In order to obtain a permit to leave the place of the residence, individuals must send an SMS to 8103. The content of the SMS should show the number under which an individual need to leave and identification data (SMS information is free of charge).

Identification data includes:

• for a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan - a series and a number of an identity card (for example, AZE1111111);
• for foreigners temporarily or permanently residing in Azerbaijan, or stateless persons - the series and number of the certificate of permission for temporary or permanent residence in the territory of Azerbaijan (for example, MYİ (DYİ) 1111111),
• for foreigners and stateless persons whose term of temporary stay in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been extended - the series and number of the decision to extend the period of temporary stay (for example, MOM1111111).

EXAMPLE: in order to leave the place of residence due to the need to purchase food and other everyday goods, as well as medicines, to use banking and postal services, a citizen of Azerbaijan must send an SMS of the following content to 8103 – “2 AZE1111111”.

Upon getting positive feedback, an individual will be able to leave the place of residence.

In order to leave the place of residence in the event of a situation that poses a direct threat to life and health, sending an SMS is not required. In addition, when people are being summoned to court or law enforcement agencies, they leave their place of the residence without sending an SMS. In this case, they present by the request of the police officers a document proving the call of the court or law enforcement agencies.

Actions against the violation of the special quarantine regime

Violation of the rules for introducing restrictions on movement will be regarded as a violation of the special quarantine regime and will envisage liability established in the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code.

At the same time, the facts of introducing false data in order to obtain permission through the portal icaze.e-gov.az and abuse of the procedure for obtaining permission through the SMS system in order to leave the place of residence will be constantly investigated. Strict liability measures will be applied with respect to legal entities and individuals, that violate the rules.

Practice areas:

Permits

Administrative law