General Practice Law at Artsakh
It's important to preface this by stating that the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), while having declared independence in 1991 and established its own governmental and legal structures, was never recognized by any UN member state, including Armenia.
Furthermore, following a military offensive by Azerbaijan in September 2023, the Artsakh government signed a decree to dissolve all its institutions by January 1, 2024. While the President of Artsakh later attempted to annul this decree in exile, for practical purposes, the de facto state of Artsakh has ceased to exist, and the territory is now under the control of Azerbaijan. The ethnic Armenian population largely fled the region.
Therefore, discussing "General Practice Law at Artsakh" in the present tense (July 2025) is challenging because the legal system of the self-proclaimed republic is no longer effectively functioning on its territory.
Historical Context (Prior to September 2023):
If we were to describe the legal system and general practice law in Artsakh when it was a functioning, though unrecognized, de facto state, it would have been heavily influenced by the legal system of Armenia.
Legal System: Artsakh operated under a civil law system, with its own Constitution (adopted in 2006, amended in 2017) and codes. These codes and laws largely mirrored those of Armenia, including the Civil Code, Criminal Code, Labor Code, etc.
Official Language: Armenian was the official language of legal proceedings.
Judiciary: Artsakh had its own three-tier judicial system:
Courts of First Instance
Court of Appeal
Supreme Court (which also handled constitutional matters)
Bar Association: There was a Bar Association in Artsakh, and lawyers would have needed to be licensed to practice there.
Areas of Law (Historically): General practice lawyers would have covered a wide range of areas similar to Armenia's legal system:
Civil Law: Contracts, property (though property rights could be complex due to the unrecognized status and historical disputes), family law (marriage, divorce, inheritance).
Criminal Law: Based on a Penal Code.
Commercial Law: Company formation, commercial disputes.
Labor Law: Employment contracts and disputes.
Administrative Law: Dealing with local government bodies.
Constitutional Law: Interpretations of the Artsakh Constitution.
Current Reality (as of July 2025):
With the dissolution of Artsakh's institutions and the displacement of its population, the legal landscape in the territory previously known as Artsakh is now governed by Azerbaijani law.
Azerbaijani Legal System: Azerbaijan also operates a civil law system, with the Constitution of Azerbaijan as the supreme law, followed by various codes and statutes.
Official Language: Azerbaijani is the official language.
Judiciary: The Azerbaijani judicial system would apply, comprising:
Constitutional Court
Supreme Court
Courts of Appeal
Courts of First Instance
Legal Practice: Lawyers practicing in this territory would need to be licensed under the Azerbaijani legal system and be proficient in Azerbaijani law.
Conclusion:
While Artsakh historically had its own functioning legal system based on Armenian law, the political and demographic changes of late 2023 mean that "General Practice Law at Artsakh" in a practical sense refers to the application of Azerbaijani law in the territory, with legal professionals needing to be licensed and operate within the Azerbaijani legal framework. The former Artsakh legal institutions and their associated practices are no longer in effect on the ground.
RELATED Blog
0 comments