Responses to cybercrime in Azerbaijan with special reference to the United Kingdom

The primary objective of this research is to explore and analyse policy and legal responses of Azerbaijan to cybercrime, provide detailed and insightful recommendations to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and legality of Azerbaijani responses to cybercrime based on the existing experience and insights of the UK. It is contended that although the application of Information and Communication Technologies has been significantly encouraged in Azerbaijan effective and efficient control and prevention of cybercriminal activities had not been adequately assured. This thesis has, thus, focused on finding out whether necessary institutions are in place, and whether national policies and laws are sufficient to address the challenges of cybercrime and are being implemented in accordance with national and international laws, standards and principles. Based on the research findings it is asserted that Azerbaijan has failed to respond appropriately to cybercrime due to the lack of both policy and legal frameworks as well as insufficient human, institutional and technological capacity and resources, and low levels of cooperation at the national and international levels. As one of the countries having encountered an increasing impact of threats from cybercrimes, Azerbaijan needs to enhance its capacity to control and prevent these threats more effectively and efficiently. Notwithstanding that the country has taken multiple measures to address the problem of cybercrime, these measures are not effectively coordinated and remain fragmented and incomplete. However, it has also become apparent that there is not a single solution to the problems posed by cybercrime, which Azerbaijan has failed to adopt. Cybercrime requires a holistic response: a combination of a strategy, policies and laws, extralegal measures, sufficient human, institutional and technological capacity and resources, as well as effective and efficient cooperation at the national and international levels.