The opinion report considers relations between international norms, Azerbaijan’s national legal system and political understandings of the Nagorno–Karabakh conflict. It discusses classification of Armenian actions in a context of the international law’s development and an impact of international regulations on national criminal codes. Therefore, it presents the Azerbaijani perspective on major political aspects of the Nagorno–Karabakh War and international response to Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories. Moreover, it evaluates Armenian actions in the region with reference to the definition of genocide and international policy of its prevention. In general, the opinion report shows how the Azerbaijani society understands the conflict and how it may be classified on the basis of the Soviet law (as acts of terror has started in the late 1980s), the international law and the contemporary Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. As a result, it is not only a report that introduces the Azerbaijan’s perspective on the issue, but it can also be recognised as an interesting source to understand how the Azerbaijani people label actions of their neighbouring nation. 

Legal Aspects of Legalization of Circulation and Use of Firearms by Civilians in order to Repel Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation

The current aggression of the Russian Federation (RF) against Ukraine has highlighted various actual socio-political and criminal issues. It was established that the problem of legalization of circulation and use of firearms by civilians to repel the armed aggression of the Russian Federation arouses the greatest interest in society. The analysis of normative acts allows determining two levels of civilians’ accessing to firearms to repel the armed aggression of the Russian Federation: general and special. The general level is determined by the laws of Ukraine «On Ensuring the Participation of Civilians in the Defense of Ukraine» from 03.03.2022 № 2114-IX and «On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and other Laws of Ukraine to Determine the Circumstances that Exclude Criminal Misconduct and Provide Combat Immunity Actions in the conditions of martial law» from 15.03.2022 № 2124-IX. Special one is defined by the Law of Ukraine «On Fundamentals of National Resistance» of 16.07.2021 № 1702-IX and the Procedure for the use of personal hunting weapons and ammunition by members of voluntary formations of territorial communities in the performance of territorial defense tasks, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of December 29, 2021 № 1448. The analysis of normative acts at the general level allows to determine the gaps in the Law of Ukraine № 2114-IX, such as: the lack of clear correspondence with the Law of Ukraine № 1702-IX; incorrect reference to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine № 828; lack of clear conditions for the use of weapons. The positive aspects are: expanding opportunities not only for the citizens of Ukraine, but also for foreigners and stateless persons to obtain and use firearms; de facto exclusion of criminal liability for the use of firearms. It is established that the Law of Ukraine № 2124-IX provides for a new circumstance that excludes the criminal illegality of the act, that is «Fulfillment of the Duty to Protect the Fatherland, Independence and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine» (Article 43–1 of the Criminal Code), which determines, on the one hand, rather wide opportunities for Ukraine protection; on the other hand, it provides a number of conditions for the legality of the act, which significantly complicate such activities. It is proved that regulations at the special level are designed more for the peaceful period of life (it is complicated by conditions that are difficult to comply with in a particular period), subjects and means of protection are clearly defined, time limits are defined, and that is the period of territorial defense tasks performing. A discrepancy was established between the list of remedies defined by the Law of Ukraine № 1702-IX and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution № 1448. It was stated that these regulations do not apply to all civilians and do not provide more opportunities for defense.

“July” Amendment of the Criminal Code. New Philosophy of Law and Constitutional Concerns

The Act of July 7, 2022 introduced a thorough reform of criminal law. The effect of these changes is a significant tightening of criminal repression, e.g. in the form of extending the possible sentence of imprisonment from one month to 15 years to a period from one month to 30 years, lowering the age of criminal responsibility in special cases to 14 years or the possibility of imposing a penalty life imprisonment without the possibility of conditional early release. The changes that appeared in the Penal Code can be considered the next stage in the political struggle through activities known as penal populism. However, these changes can be viewed as the result of adopting a philosophy of criminal law different from the previous one and adopting the assumptions of neoclassicism in criminal law. However, some of these changes raise serious constitutional questions.

The article is devoted to the study of modern problematic issues of causation in criminal law. These issues include, in particular, the issue of relevance of causation in criminal law itself, and the specifics of manifestations of relevance of causation in criminal law. The article notes that the purpose of scientific research is to identify and analyze the characteristics and criteria of relevant causation. The methods of the presented study include dialectical, systemic-structural, logical, etc. The results of the study are summarized in a number of important provisions. The author emphasizes the importance of the study of causation in criminal law as a formal and legal one, which is related to the study of causation as relevant, meeting the requirements and solving the problems of modern criminal law. The article notes that the characterization of causation in criminal law should not be limited to the connection between an act and socially dangerous consequences, since causality expressed by causation is manifested in a combination of components which are part of the content of various criminal law institutions. The article examines some characteristics of the relevance of causation in criminal law. Attention is drawn to the importance of legal and technical reflection of causation in criminal law as a condition for the relevance of causation. The article notes that the formalization of causation is the basis for considering such a connection as relevant (meeting legal requirements). The author examines institutional and inter-institutional manifestations of causation in criminal law. Furthermore, the author examines the causal manifestations which combine a criminal offense (in particular, a crime) and the legal consequences provided for by criminal law in relation to the subject who committed the offense. The article examines the peculiarities of causation in relation to certain criminal law institutions. The main conclusions of the study are the following: the need to clarify the criteria of relevant causation, the statement of relevant causation in criminal law within certain criminal law institutions, the need to consider causation in a broader criminal law context, and not only within the corpus delicti, etc.