Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 11 / Trend K. Zarbaliyeva /
Over the past five years, 235 people have been appointed as judges based on a transparent selection process, and this figure is roughly half of all of the judges in the country, Azerbaijani Justice Minister, Judicial and Legal Council Chairman Fikrat Mammadov said during a speech today at the Supreme Court's extraordinary plenum.
Seventy-eight newly appointed judges took part in the oath-taking ceremony.
The minister urged the new judges to observe the Constitution and Azerbaijani law in their activities.
Mammadov said in recent years disciplinary proceedings have been launched against over 120 judges of the Judicial and Legal Council. The activity of over 50 has been suspended. Ten judges have been transferred to lower-level positions.
The newly appointed judges will be under vigilant control, he said.
The salaries of judges have increased 25 times since 2000.