AZE.US
A driver with a disability in Baku says he was fined after parking his car in a space designated for people with disabilities.
The driver, Ramin Rustamov, who has a second-degree disability, said he parked his vehicle in Bina settlement in Baku’s Khazar district, on Ali Isazade Street, in a parking space marked for vehicles used by people with disabilities.
Rustamov said he has all the necessary documents confirming his disability. According to him, he entered a nearby store for only 5 to 10 minutes and then received an SMS notification about a fine.
He said the parking space was marked as free for people with disabilities and argued that the fine was unfair because his status is officially documented.
But the case turned on one key detail: the vehicle did not have the special identification sign showing that it is used by a person with a disability.
Experts say that if a vehicle belongs to a person with a disability, this information must be reflected in the vehicle registration certificate. The driver must also obtain a special sticker from the State Traffic Police and place it on the car.
If the vehicle documents include the relevant note but a fine is still issued, the driver can appeal to the appropriate authorities. In that case, the fine may be reviewed.
The Baku City State Traffic Police Department said that under legal requirements, the identification sign for a person with a disability must be placed on both the front and rear of the vehicle. This allows traffic police and monitoring systems to determine whether the vehicle has the right to use a designated disabled parking space.
Police also noted that other vehicles are prohibited from stopping or parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Illegal use of the disability identification sign is also punishable by a fine.
The department said the driver’s complaint will be reviewed and the case will receive a legal assessment.
In practice, the case shows that disability status alone may not be enough to avoid a fine. To use a designated disabled parking space, the right must be properly documented and visibly marked on the vehicle as required by law.
AZE.US