November 12 marks the day of the adoption of the fundamental law of the Republic of Azerbaijan — its Constitution.
Sea-news.az reports that the country’s Constitution was adopted 31 years ago, in 1995, through a nationwide referendum.
This stood as the first Constitution of Azerbaijan following the restoration of its independence.
The very first Constitution of the Azerbaijani state was adopted on May 19, 1921, at the First All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets. A revised edition of the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR, harmonized with the 1921 USSR Constitution, was adopted on March 14, 1925, at the Fourth All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets. The final Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR, adopted on April 21, 1978, while aligned with the USSR Constitution, retained distinct characteristic features.
Following the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, rigorous work commenced on drafting a new Constitution. In 1994, a Constitutional Commission began operating under the chairmanship of President Heydar Aliyev, and the draft was submitted for nationwide discussion in 1995. On November 12, 1995, the first Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan was adopted via a nationwide referendum.
Azerbaijan’s modern Constitution consists of five sections, 12 chapters, and 158 articles.
Additions and amendments were introduced to the Constitution through referendums held on August 24, 2002, March 18, 2009, and September 26, 2016.
By the Decree of President Heydar Aliyev dated February 6, 1996, November 12 was officially declared Constitution Day.
This year marks the fifth time that Constitution Day is also celebrated across the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. As a result of the counter-offensive operations launched by the Azerbaijani Army on September 27, 2020, lands that had remained under enemy occupation for many years were liberated.
On September 19, 2023, local anti-terrorist measures were launched in the region to ensure the enforcement of the Trilateral Statement provisions, prevent large-scale provocations in the Karabakh economic region, disarm and withdraw formations of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories, neutralize their military infrastructure, guarantee the safety of civilians returning to liberated areas as well as civilian workers engaged in reconstruction efforts and military personnel, and restore the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
During the operations, which lasted slightly over 23 hours, frontline and deep-rear positions, long-term firing points, combat assets, and military facilities belonging to formations of the Armenian armed forces were incapacitated using high-precision weapons. The enemy raised a white flag and surrendered. Consequently, constitutional order was fully restored across all territories of Azerbaijan.
