BAKU - Azerbaijan is considering financial rewards and legal protections for people who report corruption, while lawmaker Erkin Qadirli says he will vote against the proposal because of the risks whistleblowers could face.
Qadirli stated his position on October 6 at a joint meeting of the Milli Majlis committees on defense, security and anti-corruption, and on legal policy and state-building, according to Modern.az.
He did not initially give a detailed explanation at the committee meeting. In a later comment to Anews.az, however, Qadirli said experience in other countries showed that people who disclose wrongdoing may face pressure, dismissal and damage to their careers.
He also referred to the severe consequences of denunciation practices during the Soviet period, while acknowledging that his assessment could be mistaken. His publicly stated concern centers on whether people who report violations can be protected effectively.
What the Bill Would Change
The bill on encouraging and protecting people who report corruption-related offenses would cover individuals who learn of violations through their employment or while receiving services.
It combines two elements: financial rewards for information that is verified and safeguards for the person after a report is filed. A mere allegation against a manager or colleague would not automatically create a right to payment.
Rewards of Up to 25 Minimum Wages
The proposal provides for a reward of up to 25 times the minimum monthly wage, paid from the budget of the organization concerned.
Report said the payment would be made by decision of the organization’s head within 10 working days. The amount would depend on the nature of the offense, the number of confirmed violations, the importance of the information, the damage caused and the value of assets recovered. The maximum would therefore not be automatic for every applicant.
For criminal cases, the bill creates an additional mechanism: when its statutory conditions are met, a reporter could receive 5% of relevant funds obtained through special confiscation, a payment to the state budget or secured compensation for material damage to the state.
For illustration, 5% of a 1 million-manat calculation base would equal 50,000 manats. That is an example, not a payment announced in a specific case. The percentage could not automatically be applied to the full amount of alleged damage; the legal basis and the sum eligible for calculation would matter.
Related amendments to the Tax Code would exempt the reward from income tax.
Protection From Retaliation
The bill calls for keeping a reporter’s identity confidential and prohibiting pressure against the person and their relatives.
It also proposes protection from workplace retaliation, including dismissal or other adverse measures imposed because someone reported a violation.
Other safeguards include state-funded legal assistance, exemption from court costs and guarantees of compensation for material and moral harm.
The central question raised by both the bill and Qadirli’s objection is whether these protections can work in practice. Establishing that a dismissal was retaliatory and limiting access to a reporter’s identity would be critical to public trust in the system.
Source: Vesti Baku.