Baku: Another significant development is underway in Azerbaijan concerning the legislative framework for internally displaced persons (IDP) status. The Milli Majlis, during its latest session, has reviewed proposed amendments to the Law "On the Status of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (Persons Displaced Within the Country)."

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the current legislation stipulates that an IDP loses their status under certain conditions: returning to their former place of residence, receiving free housing in the same region as a replacement for their previous home, or being provided with state-determined housing. The proposed amendments introduce a new condition where an IDP will also lose their status if they refuse the aforementioned housing options.

The transitional provision of the draft law specifies that the IDP status for those who, before the law's enactment, were provided with alternative housing in liberated territories, will cease from the date the law comes into effect. This adjustment aims to synchronize the law with the current realities on the ground.

The new proposal also outlines that individuals will be offered another residence of a specified size in the region where they previously resided. This measure is intended to fully restore the property rights of citizens, ensuring they are suitably rehoused by the state.

The draft law, reflecting these changes, was put to a vote and successfully passed in the first reading.