Court Review: June 29 – July 1, 2026

Court proceedings involving politicians, civil society representatives and journalists

1. On June 29, the trial in the “Toplum TV case” continued at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes under the chairmanship of Judge Azar Taghiyev with the speeches of the defense lawyers.

Fuad Aghayev, the lawyer of Akif Gurbanov, head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and speaker of the Third Republic Platform, stated in his defense speech that during the trial, the principles of adversarial proceedings and equality of rights had repeatedly and grossly been violated in favor of the prosecution.

He noted the hasty completion of the investigation and procedural violations, stating that he had no hope for a fair verdict. Nevertheless, at the end of his speech, F. Aghayev asked the court to acquit his client on all charges.

The next hearing has been scheduled for July 6.

2. On June 30, the Imishli District Court announced its verdict against Vagif Gadirli, a member of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party.

Vagif Gadirli was sentenced to two years of imprisonment.

V. Gadirli was detained on December 12 last year in the Imishli district. On December 13, a pre-trial detention measure was chosen against him on charges of illegal possession of weapons. He did not admit guilt.

3. On July 1, the Baku Court of Appeal reviewed the appeal filed against the verdict concerning social worker Zamin Zakiyev.

At the hearing chaired by Judge Emin Aliyev, Z. Zaki and his defense lawyer Gunay Ismayilova stated that they did not agree with the charges and requested the termination of the criminal case on exonerating grounds.

The court ruled to remove the charge under Article 313 of the Criminal Code (official forgery), which Zamin Zaki had been accused of, from the verdict of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes dated March 11, 2026, as the limitation period for prosecution had expired.

As a result, the prison sentence of 7 years and 6 months imposed on Z. Zaki was reduced to 7 years and 3 months and entered into legal force.

Court proceedings related to corruption and state bodies

1. The final court hearing in the case of Nurlan Mammadov, executive director of the “Gold Residence” company, has taken place. The company executive was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years.

The court’s decision to issue a suspended sentence was influenced by the reconciliation between the property owners and the company, compensation paid to them, as well as N. Mammadov’s expression of remorse during the trial.

The demolition took place near the “Nariman Narimanov” metro station, at the intersection of Fatali Khan Khoyski Avenue 128-130 and Ahmad Rajabli Street 5B, and the property of six people was demolished without their consent. The property owners suffered damages totaling nearly 470,000 manats.

Nurlan Mammadov was brought to criminal responsibility based on complaints from the property owners. He was charged under Articles 186.2.1 (intentional destruction or damage of property causing substantial harm to the victim) and 308.2 (abuse of official powers resulting in serious consequences) of the Criminal Code. A police supervision preventive measure was chosen against him.

In his testimony before the court, N. Mammadov admitted guilt. However, he stated that the order for demolition in that area had been issued by the head of the Baku City Executive Authority, Eldar Azizov, in 2024.

The accused expressed remorse for his actions and stated that the damages caused to the victims had been compensated, asking the court not to impose a prison sentence. The victims also confirmed that they no longer had complaints.

As a result, although N. Mammadov was found guilty under Articles 186.2.1 and 308.2, he was only given a suspended sentence.

According to the indictment, during his time working at the institution, Ilgar Mustafayev, together with his assistant Rashad Badalov, Fuad Babayev, director of “GIRASOL” Limited Liability Company, and other persons, embezzled more than 12 million manats obtained from leasing non-residential premises located on the institution’s territory, organizing the operation of commercial facilities, boat tours, and other similar activities by entering false information into official documents.

In addition, Ilgar Mustafayev is accused of evading the payment of more than 1 million 800 thousand manats in taxes to the state budget and of laundering more than 10 million manats of funds obtained through criminal means by purchasing various properties in his own name and in the names of his relatives through formal agreements.

Ilgar Mustafayev was charged under Articles 179.4 (embezzlement on an especially large scale), 193-1.3.2 (laundering of property obtained through criminal means on a large scale), 213.3 (evasion of tax payments on an especially large scale), 308.2 (abuse of official powers causing serious consequences), and 313 (official forgery) of the Criminal Code. Fuad Babayev and Rashad Badalov were charged under Articles 179.4, 308.2, and 313 of the same Code.

In order to secure compensation for damages identified in the criminal case, property worth more than 11 million manats has been seized.

2. On July 1, a preparatory court hearing was held at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes under the chairmanship of Judge Kamil Aliyev in the case of individuals accused of cigarette smuggling.

At the hearing, personal details were clarified, and the parties were informed of their rights and obligations.

After that, the defense lawyers submitted motions to the court.

The lawyer of the accused Zaur Hashimov stated that his client’s wife suffers from cancer, that his permanent place of residence is known, and that there were no grounds to believe he would evade the investigation. Therefore, he requested that the pre-trial detention measure imposed on him be replaced with house arrest.

At the same time, the lawyers of the accused Amil Jabrayilov and Farid Usubov also requested house arrest for their clients.

The lawyer of the accused Farrukh Hagverdiyev stated that his client’s son is a war veteran and that the accused himself has a positive character reference. He requested that these circumstances be taken into account and that the detention measure be replaced with house arrest.

Later, the lawyer of Tamerlan Akhundzade submitted a motion stating that his client had voluntarily participated in the 44-day Patriotic War. The lawyer requested that these circumstances also be considered and that the detention measure be replaced with house arrest.

Responding to the motion, Tamerlan Akhundzade stated that he had not committed any crime and did not consider himself guilty.

The lawyer of the accused Heydar Eyvazli told the court that the proceedings should be terminated and the case should be returned to the investigative authorities for further examination.

The state prosecutor proposed that the motions not be granted and that the case be referred for trial.

The court ruled to reject the motions and to refer the case for trial.

The next hearing will take place on July 15.

In December of last year, as a result of investigative measures in the criminal case concerning the illegal actions of employees of the Baku Hovsan International Trade Sea Port Customs Post of the Main Customs Department for Sea Transport and Energy Resources of the State Customs Committee, employees of the “Baku Hovsan International Trade Sea Port” Open Joint Stock Company, and other members of the criminal group, substantial suspicions were established against Ruslan Eyyubov, the de facto head of the “Baku Hovsan International Trade Sea Port” Open Joint Stock Company; Rashad Dashdemirov, the general director of the company; Zaur Hashimov, head of port services; Farrukh Hagverdiyev, the port brigade leader; Farid Usubov, head of the Baku Hovsan Trade Sea Port Customs Post of the Main Customs Department for Sea Transport and Energy Resources of the State Customs Committee; customs inspectors of the same post, Heydar Eyvazli, Tamerlan Akhundzade and Tahir Tahiri; Anvar Taghiyev, senior operational officer of the Operations Department of the Operational-Investigation Directorate of the mentioned Main Customs Department; as well as Elchin Rustamov, Fariz Maharramov, Firuz Aliyev, Amil Jabrayilov, Alasgar Ismayilov, Rovshan Tarverdiyev, and other persons whose identities are being established by the investigation.

They are suspected of entering into criminal conspiracy as an organized group and smuggling tobacco products worth more than 5.4 million manats from the United Arab Emirates and the Iran into the country by sea through the mentioned port without excise stamps, despite the requirement that such products be marked with excise labels.

Based on the collected preliminary evidence, these individuals were charged under Articles 206.4 (large-scale smuggling committed by an organized group), 213-1.2.1, 213-1.2.2, and 213-1.2.3 (repeated possession for sale of goods subject to excise labeling without such labels, committed by a group acting in prior collusion on a large scale), and 308.2 (abuse of official powers causing serious consequences) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Trial of separatists

1. On June 30, the Baku Court of Appeal continued hearings on the appeals filed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia — Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan and others — against the guilty verdicts issued by the Baku Military Court.

At the hearing held under the chairmanship of Judge Elmar Rahimov, with the participation of judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva, the accused Davit Ishkhanyan addressed the court and stated that after reviewing the records of the court hearings, he wished to submit the notes he had prepared.

The chairman of the judicial panel noted that reviewing the records of the hearings was his procedural right.

Davit Ishkhanyan was informed that since his notes had not been submitted in the Azerbaijani language, they had to be translated before being presented to the court. It was also explained that the notes must be submitted in written form, not orally, and in the Azerbaijani language.

After translation, the notes must also be presented to the prosecution side in order to ensure equality of the parties during the adversarial court proceedings.

Davit Ishkhanyan requested that conditions be created for him to hand over his notes to the translator. The presiding judge stated that appropriate conditions would be provided for this.

After that, David Babayan addressed the court and requested an opportunity to meet with his newly appointed defense lawyer.

The court hearing continued with speeches by the defense side substantiating their appeals.

The defense lawyer of the accused Davit Allahverdiyan stated in his speech that he requested the court to issue an acquittal verdict for the person whose rights he was defending. Davit Allahverdiyan said that he supported the appeal filed by his lawyer and agreed with the arguments presented in it.

Then the defense lawyer of Melikset Pashayan spoke. He requested the court to cancel the guilty verdict issued on February 5, 2026, and to issue an acquittal for the accused.

Melikset Pashayan stated that he supported the position voiced by his defense lawyer. He noted that he did not consider himself guilty of the charges brought against him.

After that, the defense lawyer of the accused Davit Ishkhanyan addressed the court. In his speech, the lawyer requested that the verdict issued against D. Ishkhanyan on February 5, 2026, be annulled and that an acquittal be issued.

Subsequently, a recess was announced in the court hearing to ensure confidential meetings between the accused persons and their defense lawyers.

After the recess, the hearing continued.

Davit Ishkhanyan, addressing the court, first submitted a motion requesting that duplicate copies of the appeal complaint and petition prepared by him be attached to the materials of the criminal case.

He then stated that he did not agree with the charges brought against him.

The next hearing will take place on July 3.

According to the verdict of the Baku Military Court dated February 5, 2026, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Allahverdiyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, while Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan and Erik Ghazaryan were sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment.

They were found guilty of crimes against peace and humanity as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, including war crimes, preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure of power, and numerous other crimes.