AZE.US
Electronic communications, particularly WhatsApp messages, are increasingly being used as evidence in court proceedings in Azerbaijan.
However, not every message or screenshot automatically carries legal weight.
Ilhama Hasanova, a member of the Azerbaijani Bar Association, explained that WhatsApp correspondence may be accepted as evidence if it was obtained legally and is relevant to the dispute, AZE.US reports, citing AzPost.
According to the lawyer, the issue is regulated by an April 12, 2021 decision of the Plenum of Azerbaijan’s Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court Plenum’s December 24, 2025 Resolution No. 20 on the protection of personality rights.
Under these rulings, a person may submit WhatsApp messages from a conversation in which they personally participated to protect their rights and legitimate interests.
However, accessing, monitoring, distributing or publishing another person’s private correspondence without consent is unlawful and may result in legal liability.
For WhatsApp messages to be considered evidence:
- The correspondence must have been obtained legally.
- It must be directly relevant to the dispute.
- The court must evaluate it alongside other evidence in the case.
Hasanova stressed that submitting a screenshot alone does not necessarily guarantee a favorable court decision. Judges assess electronic correspondence together with the other materials presented before determining its legal significance.
AZE.US