Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis approved in a first reading on Oct. 30 a bill that would expand access to free legal assistance for low-income and socially vulnerable people. The state would fund consultations, document preparation, legal defense and court representation.
The parliamentary vote is a new stage for the proposal, which was previously reviewed by the relevant committee. It is not yet law and must pass further readings.
Who Would Be Eligible
The bill would cover citizens whose average monthly income is below the official subsistence minimum, members of families receiving targeted state social assistance, unemployed people with disabilities and people officially registered as unemployed.
Eligibility would also extend to families of martyrs, war veterans, victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, minors, refugees, people granted political asylum, children without parental care, people during the first year after release from correctional facilities and people under probation supervision.
People who report corruption would also qualify. The assistance would apply in criminal, civil, administrative and constitutional proceedings in cases defined by law.
How Lawyers Would Be Paid
The Bar Association would organize the system, while financing would come from the state budget. Professional legal assistance would be paid at 0.0275 times the minimum monthly wage for each working hour. With the 2026 minimum wage at 400 manats, that equals 11 manats per hour.
Primary legal assistance would be paid at 0.015 times the minimum wage for each service, or 6 manats. An additional 5% would cover postage, transportation, office supplies and other related costs.
Lawyers working at night, on weekends or on public holidays would receive double the standard rate. The proposal would also prohibit lawyers from refusing to participate in the program without justification.
The bill would not cover representation of citizens before international organizations, diplomatic missions or consulates.
Sources: Vesti Baku; Milli Majlis draft legislation.