October 1 is the professional holiday of employees of the prosecutor's office. On July 17, 1998, National leader Heydar Aliyev signed a decree establishing a professional holiday of employees of the prosecutor's office of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The basis for this was the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of October 1, 1918. Based on this resolution, the prosecutor's office was created at the Baku District Court.

The history of the prosecutor's office in our country begins with the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. After the proclamation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918, one of the main tasks in the field of state building was the creation of power structures of an independent state and ensuring its normal functioning. After the formation of the national state, the prosecutor's office began to function within the Ministry of Justice, as part of the justice system, as well as the judicial authorities.

One of the main tasks in this area was the creation of a law enforcement system of an independent state, including the judiciary and the prosecutor's office. The regulation of all these issues had to be dealt with directly by the Ministry of Justice.

During the period of activity in Ganja, the Azerbaijani government was unable to take significant steps towards a radical reform of the judicial and prosecutorial system. The main task at that time was the liberation of Baku, the political, economic and cultural center of the country, and the territory of the Baku province from the Bolshevik-Dashnak forces, and ensuring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The government's attention was focused on building an army, and all capabilities were mobilized to accomplish this task.

After the liberation of Baku by the Islamic Army of the Caucasus - September 26, 1918 - the Ministry of Justice was transferred to Baku. After moving to Baku, the Azerbaijani government began to implement appropriate measures both in the judicial and legal sphere and in other areas.

Among the steps taken by the Azerbaijani government to eliminate the crisis in the field of justice, an important place is occupied by the resolution of October 1, 1918 “On the restoration of the activities of the Baku Investigative Court and all institutions subordinate to it.” By a decree of the Government of Azerbaijan dated October 1, 1918, all judicial and investigative bodies, commissions with judicial functions created during the period of the Baku Council, were abolished, and the Baku Investigative (District) Court was restored along with all structures, including the supervision of the prosecutor. The decisions of the former investigative commissions created by the Baku Council were transferred to the prosecutors of the Baku District Court, who forwarded these cases to the relevant investigative departments.

On April 28, 1920, as a result of the military intervention of foreign armed forces, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic ceased to exist, which led to the abandonment of democratic and legal values and the abolition of all government structures created under the ADR, including the prosecutor's office and investigative bodies. Instead, new structures began to form in accordance with the socialist system and the process of Sovietization began.
      
The resolution of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan dated July 11, 1922 “On the State Prosecutor’s Office of the Azerbaijan SSR” laid the foundations of the Soviet prosecutor’s office. In July 1936, the Prosecutor's Office of the Azerbaijan SSR was removed from the People's Commissariat of Justice and began to function as an independent institution, reporting directly to the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR. 
       
After the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, the country was engulfed in internal strife, anarchy and chaos. This dealt a big blow to nation-building. After the return to power of the great Leader Heydar Aliyev, a new era began in the activities of the prosecutor's office. During this period, the prosecutor's office professionally investigated crimes against our statehood, terrorist acts committed against prominent public and government figures, theft of state property, serious criminal incidents in the banking and financial system, including the plunder of the savings of our ordinary citizens. The perpetrators received their well-deserved punishment.
       
The Constitution of independent Azerbaijan, adopted in 1995, determined the status of the prosecutor's office and recognized it as a single centralized body based on the subordination of territorial and specialized prosecutor's offices to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In accordance with this status, the areas of activity of the prosecutor's office were fully determined by the Law “On the Prosecutor's Office” of December 7, 1999. According to the referendum act “On Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” which came into force on September 19, 2002, the prosecutor’s office was also given the right of legislative initiative. 
        
During the years when Azerbaijan was once again headed by the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, regulations were adopted that formed the legal basis for the activities of the prosecutor’s office, including the laws “On the Prosecutor’s Office”, “On Service in the Prosecutor’s Office”, “On the Official Emblem”, and the regulation “On service card of employees of the prosecutor's office", "On the rules of holding a competition with job candidates." The Decree of October 8, 2002 “On material and social security of employees of the prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Azerbaijan” is a clear manifestation of the National Leader’s constant concern for the prosecutor’s office and its employees.
       
The policy of the President Ilham Aliyev, who successfully implemented the concept of strategic development defined by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and raised it to a new level, is bearing fruit. Thus, the approval by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated September 27, 2008 of the “State Program for the Modernization of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2009-2011” is of exceptional importance from the point of view of the comprehensive modernization of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Azerbaijan Republic and bringing its work to a completely new level.
     
The comprehensive reforms carried out by the head of our state, arising from the challenges of the new era, progressive comprehensive measures implemented in all areas of public administration, and the process of updating the judicial and legal system also covered the prosecutor's office. There is a need to organize activities in this area in accordance with the requirements of the new era, to implement structural changes and personnel reforms. As part of the comprehensive measures implemented in this direction, fundamental institutional and personnel reforms were carried out in the Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan, and a number of progressive steps were taken. Thus, on May 12, 2020, a broad Action Plan of the Prosecutor General’s Office was approved in connection with the implementation of the instructions and recommendations of the head of state to improve the work and deepen reforms in the prosecutor’s office.
       
Also, the “Concept for the strategic development of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2020-2023,” which defines the directions and goals for the development of the Prosecutor’s Office, has created conditions for achieving successful results, improving activities and increasing efficiency in fulfilling the tasks facing the institution.
         
During the 44-day Patriotic War, the prosecutor's office also fulfilled its duties with dignity and honor. During the war, the results of the provocations committed by Armenia against our civilian population and civilian infrastructure were documented by the prosecutor's office and ensured by a high-quality investigation, as far as possible in wartime conditions. Criminal cases were initiated under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During the war, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan addressed the prosecutors general of various countries and relevant international organizations regarding the bloody crimes committed against our civilian population by the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating humanitarian norms, principles of international law and the laws of war.
         
The Prosecutor's Office is also promoting the restoration and construction of liberated territories under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and with the direct participation of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. The main attention is paid to the implementation of tasks arising from Presidential decrees. Thus, the decrees of the President of Azerbaijan dated May 7, 2021 and March 3, 2022 on increasing the efficiency of the prosecutor’s offices in the liberated territories, strengthening control measures, and creating the “Electronic Prosecutor’s Office” information system are part of the reforms in the judicial and legal system.
         
The Azerbaijani Prosecutor's Office successfully continues its difficult and honorable service in the territories liberated from occupation as a result of the Patriotic War. Thus, district (city) prosecutor's offices are already operating in the territories liberated from occupation.
        
The employees of the prosecutor's office, celebrating their professional holidays with a mood of victory, as citizens of a victorious country, build their activities in accordance with new challenges, with the requirements of the modern era and international standards, take an uncompromising position in relation to situations that could harm the power of our state and the well-being of our people. They work tirelessly to protect the rights of citizens and ensure the rule of law in the fight against crime.

Recommended literature:

1. Aslanov, Seyfulla Xalıq oğlu. Azərbaycan Prokurorluğu : təşkili və fəaliyyət istiqamətləri / S. X. Aslanov. - Bakı : Hüquq ədəbiyyatı, 2003. - 420 s.
2. Azərbaycan Prokurorluğu - bir əsrlik inkişaf tarixi : 1918-2018 / Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prokurorluğu; layihənin rəh., ön sözün müəl. Z. B. Qaralov. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2018. - 640 s.
3. Heydər Əliyev və Prokurorluq / Azərbaycan Respublikası Baş Prokurorluğu. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2023. - 468 s.