Prostitution Prostitution laws in AzerbaijanAzərbaycan
In Azerbaijan engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence punished by a fine of AZN 100. A paragraph added by Law No. 334-VIIQD of 30 December 2025, published in January 2026, fines open calls to engage in prostitution made through internet information resources or telecommunication networks, and prostitution-related deals made in public view, AZN 500. Buying sex from an adult is not a specific offence. The Criminal Code punishes involving a person in prostitution for income or other benefit (fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, community work or one to three years) and organising or keeping dens of debauchery for prostitution or providing dwellings for it (fine, community or correctional work, or up to three years). Involving minors in prostitution carries three to eight years.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence under Article 524 of the 2015 Code of Administrative Offences (fine of AZN 100); since an amendment published in January 2026, making open calls to engage in prostitution online carries AZN 500. Buying is not expressly penalised. Involving a person in prostitution for gain and keeping dens of debauchery are crimes (Articles 243 and 244 of the Criminal Code).[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Engaging in prostitution (fahişəliklə məşğul olma) is an administrative offence punished by a fine of AZN 100. Since an amendment published in January 2026, making open calls to engage in prostitution online, or a prostitution-related deal in public view, is fined AZN 500.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No provision makes paying for sex with an adult an offence. Article 524 targets engaging in prostitution; whether the 'deal' limb of Article 524.2 could reach a client making an arrangement in public view has not, as far as we found, been tested.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Organising or keeping dens of debauchery for prostitution, or providing dwellings for that purpose, carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 400 to 480 hours of community work, correctional work up to two years or up to three years' imprisonment. Repeat offences or those by a group or organised group carry three to six years.[2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Involving a person in prostitution for income or other benefit carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 320 to 480 hours of community work or one to three years; exploiting a person's helplessness or impairments, or acting as an organised group, three to six years. Involving a minor in prostitution carries three to six years, four to eight in aggravated cases.[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Since an amendment published in January 2026, open calls to engage in prostitution made through internet information resources or information and telecommunication networks are an administrative offence fined AZN 500. The Law on Advertising also bans advertising goods and actions that harm consumers' morality or physical and psychological health.[1][3] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution (fahişəliklə məşğul olma) is an administrative offence punished by a fine of AZN 100. Since an amendment published in January 2026, making open calls to engage in prostitution online, or a prostitution-related deal in public view, is fined AZN 500.[1]
Note. Read on the official e-qanun.az portal (consolidated text). Our translation of Article 524.2; the original wording is in the advertising topic.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No provision makes paying for sex with an adult an offence. Article 524 targets engaging in prostitution; whether the 'deal' limb of Article 524.2 could reach a client making an arrangement in public view has not, as far as we found, been tested.[1]
Confidence: medium. Inferred from the absence of a buyer offence in the codes read; no enforcement data found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Organising or keeping dens of debauchery for prostitution, or providing dwellings for that purpose, carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 400 to 480 hours of community work, correctional work up to two years or up to three years' imprisonment. Repeat offences or those by a group or organised group carry three to six years.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Involving a person in prostitution for income or other benefit carries a fine of AZN 2,500 to 3,500, 320 to 480 hours of community work or one to three years; exploiting a person's helplessness or impairments, or acting as an organised group, three to six years. Involving a minor in prostitution carries three to six years, four to eight in aggravated cases.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Since an amendment published in January 2026, open calls to engage in prostitution made through internet information resources or information and telecommunication networks are an administrative offence fined AZN 500. The Law on Advertising also bans advertising goods and actions that harm consumers' morality or physical and psychological health.[1][3]
Article 524.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences, added by Law No. 334-VIIQD of 30 December 2025 (published 26 January 2026): İnternet informasiya ehtiyatından və ya informasiya-telekommunikasiya şəbəkəsindən istifadə etməklə fahişəliklə məşğul olmağa açıq çağırışların edilməsinə və ya kütləvi nümayiş etdirilməklə fahişəliklə məşğul olmaqla bağlı sövdələşməyə görə – beş yüz manat məbləğində cərimə edilir. Article 11.1 of the Law on Advertising (No. 1281-IVQ of 15 May 2015) bans advertising of goods and actions that adversely affect the consumer's morality or physical and psychological health; applying it to sexual services is our reading. Whether a website hosting such adverts is itself liable, under Article 524.2 or under Article 243 of the Criminal Code, was not established.
Confidence: medium. Article 524.2 is read from the official text; platform liability and the reach of the Law on Advertising are not established.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Azərbaycan Respublikasının İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Azerbaijan (2015) Art. 524 | Article 524: engaging in prostitution (524.1) and online open calls to engage in prostitution (524.2, since 2026).[1] | 1 March 2016 |
| Azərbaycan Respublikasının Cinayət Məcəlləsi Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (1999) Art. 171 · Art. 243 · Art. 244 | Article 171 (involving minors in prostitution), 243 (involving a person in prostitution), 244 (keeping dens of debauchery).[2] | 1 September 2000 |
| Reklam haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikasının Qanunu Law on Advertising (No. 1281-IVQ of 15 May 2015) Art. 11.1 | Article 11.1 bans advertising of goods and actions harmful to consumers' morality or health.[3] |
Timeline
Sources
- Azərbaycan Respublikasının İnzibati Xətalar Məcəlləsi (Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Azerbaijan (consolidated text)). E-QANUN, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 29 December 2015. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Azərbaycan Respublikasının Cinayət Məcəlləsi (Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (consolidated text)). E-QANUN, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 30 December 1999. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Reklam haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikasının Qanunu (Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Advertising (text as published)). President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (official website). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026