Thirteen years elapse since the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The constitution adopted on November 12, 1995 announced Azerbaijan democratic presidential republic. As a consequence of global cataclysms Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and Azerbaijan adopted its Constitution Act in 1991 as well as ally states. This document remained to have the supreme law in the country for four years. In the first years of independency the adoption of the constitution brought the stability to Azerbaijan fronted with the efforts of revolution. In 1995, late president of Azerbaijan Haydar Aliev initiated the idea of new national constitution. After meetings and long discussions lasting from June 5, 1995, country’s new constitution was adopted by referendum on November 12 on November 27 same year. The main feature of newly adopted constitution which constricted of 12 chapters and 158 articles was that it included a separate chapter on human rights and freedom. Overall, about 60 articles of 158 covered human rights and freedom. The country joined a number of international conventions on guaranteeing the human rights and freedom as well as democratic institutions in 1996-1997. In 1998, Azerbaijan was the first country among CIS countries to cancel the death penalty. On July 14, 1998 the Constitutional Court started its activity.
On August 24, 2002 the important steps were for improving the Constitution and fitting it to the international law norms supported by our country. The referendum conducted with the legislative initiative of Haydar Aliev was aimed for widening the human rights and freedoms in the Constitution and improving the political and law system of the country. The changes were made in 24 articles. These amendments and changes meant that the commitments taken when Azerbaijan was accepted to the European Council would be fulfilled. Since the adoption of the Constitution the important changes have been made in several spheres especially, in law state building and ensuring of the human rights. Our republic has joined to some conventions in the sphere of human rights; the new mechanisms have been established for protection citizens’ rights and freedoms. So during these 13 years the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan has played a great role in forming of theoretical principles of State system and their development from legislative point of view.