The foundation of the modern Azerbaijani state was laid as a result of the salvation mission of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Azerbaijan, which experienced a statehood crisis in the early 1990s, was saved from the threat of collapse and strengthened legally and institutionally precisely thanks to his resolute political will. The Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, adopted by popular vote in 1995, was the legal expression of this consolidation. The Constitution, while establishing the Azerbaijani state as a legal, secular and democratic state, defined the provision of human rights and freedoms as the supreme goal of state activity. This document highlighted the rule of law, the principle of justice, and social responsibility as the main criteria in state-citizen relations. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the provisions of the Constitution did not remain just on paper, but acquired real political and legal content. The full restoration of state sovereignty, the elimination of separatism and the establishment of a constitutional order in all territories demonstrate the full implementation of the historical mission of the Constitution of Azerbaijan. The declaration of 2025 as the “Year of Constitution and Sovereignty” in the Republic of Azerbaijan is not only the next stage in the history of our independent statehood, but also the logical result of a long-term political struggle, legal construction and national will. This decision is an official and ideological confirmation of the full guarantee of the sovereignty of the Azerbaijani state, the restoration of its territorial integrity, and the real application of the supreme legal force of the Constitution in all territories of the country. The concept of "Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty" is not only a legal term, but also a political concept reflecting the philosophy of modern Azerbaijani statehood. This concept shows that the Azerbaijani state is no longer in a stage of development aimed at proving its existence, but at consolidating its historical achievements and passing them on to future generations. It is in such a historical and political context that President Ilham Aliyev's initiative to declare an amnesty demonstrates that the concept of a strong state is measured not only by military, political and economic indicators, but also by the criteria of humanism, compassion and social responsibility. This initiative once again proves that the Azerbaijani state is confident in its strength and has sufficiently strong political and legal foundations to take humane steps. The restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan is not only a military success, but also of great importance in terms of international law and constitutional principles. As a result of this process, the Azerbaijani state has restored its legal powers in all territories of the country and ensured the supremacy of the Constitution. This reality shows that Azerbaijan, as a strong and stable state, now has the opportunity to put forward humane initiatives. History shows that strong states are remembered with mercy. President Ilham Aliyev's amnesty initiative within the framework of the Year of Constitution and Sovereignty is an indicator of this political maturity. The basis of President Ilham Aliyev's philosophy of statehood is the human factor. Improving social welfare, protecting vulnerable segments of the population, ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens are the main directions of state policy. This approach also finds its clear expression in the field of criminal law. The application of humanistic principles in criminal policy shows that the Azerbaijani state perceives punishment not as a means of revenge, but as a mechanism for ensuring social justice and public order. Amnesty and pardon institutions are an important part of this policy and serve the recovery of society. The amnesty act is not only a legal document, but also a strong political and moral message. This message expresses the state's trust in its citizen, its belief that he will be reformed. The state creates a social balance by maintaining mercy along with severity in its penal policy. The amnesty, which will be announced by the end of 2025, is of a particularly symbolic nature. This date coincides with the Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty, highlighting the humane essence of the new stage in the history of our statehood. The draft amnesty act is based on the principle of social justice. According to the project, special attention is paid to those who participated in the Patriotic War and the September 2023 anti-terrorist measures, relatives of martyrs and missing persons, and civilians who lost their health as a result of the war. In addition, the amnesty coverage of women, the elderly, minors, and persons who committed crimes through negligence is an indicator of the state's social responsibility. This approach serves to shape society on humane values. According to forecasts, the amnesty act will cover more than 20 thousand people. This figure will be one of the most extensive applications of the amnesty institution in the history of independent Azerbaijan. Thousands of people will be freed, their sentences will be commuted or they will be released from criminal liability. These statistics show not the power of the state, but the scale of its mercy. National Leader Heydar Aliyev laid the foundation for this tradition, and President Ilham Aliyev has further developed it at a new historical stage. This policy has served to reintegrate thousands of people into society, restore families, and strengthen social stability. The amnesty initiative, put forward within the framework of the Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty, is a clear manifestation of the political maturity, legal strength, and moral superiority of the Azerbaijani state. This initiative proves that the Azerbaijani state has already proven its existence in the face of history, and is now setting an example with its humanistic state model. Today, Azerbaijan is experiencing the most powerful stage in its history with its strong army, solid economy, decisive political will and people-centered state policy. The Azerbaijani model, which is based on the Constitution, protects its sovereignty and makes mercy an integral part of state governance, shows that real power lies not in severity, but in justice and humanism. At this moment in history, Azerbaijan proves that real power lies in the unity of sovereignty based on the Constitution, mercy based on justice and the value given to man!

Aysel Shamilova
Senior Lecturer, Department of History of Azerbaijan and Eastern European Peoples