Baku:Azerbaijan is set to increase the liability for military personnel serving beyond their compulsory active service term while also introducing alternative penalties. This development is part of a proposed amendment to the Code of Administrative Offenses discussed in the Milli Majlis, the country's parliament.

According to Azeri-Press news agency, the amendment stipulates that officers, warrant officers, midshipmen, and military personnel will face increased administrative liability if they are absent from their military unit or place of service for over one day without valid reasons. The proposed penalties include a fine ranging from 200 to 300 manats or administrative detention for up to 15 days, depending on the circumstances and the individual's behavior. This represents a change from the current Code, which mandates up to 20 days of detention for similar offenses.

The amendment further outlines that if the same acts are committed repeatedly within a year by someone who has already been penalized, the fines could rise to between 300 and 500 manats or detention could last from 10 days to one month. This compares to the existing Code, which imposes detention from 15 days to one month for repeat offenses.

These changes, which were adopted in the first reading, aim not only to increase liability but also to ease sanctions by introducing fines as an alternative punishment. This shift is viewed as a progressive step toward balancing accountability with leniency.