By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

The Azerbaijani Emergencies and Interior Ministries have been vested with powers to apply fines for arson of crop areas, Azernews reports.

This has been approved under a presidential decree on amending Decree No. 795 dated February 15, 2016 "On application of law No. 96-VQ" dated December 29, 2015 "On approval of Code of Administrative Offenses of Azerbaijan".

Under Article 244-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, for setting fire to a sown area, individuals will be fined from AZN400 ($235.29) to AZN600 ($352.9), officials - from AZN1,500 ($882.3) to AZN2,000 ($1,176), and legal entities - from AZN5,000 ($294.1) to AZN6,000 ($3,529).

Previously, cases of administrative offenses for arson of sown areas were considered only by the Economy or Agriculture Ministries represented by the State Service for Property Issues under the Economy Ministry.