Radio Azadlig: Statement of Prosecutor"s Office - Lies, Provocation, Slander

The press service of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan issued an official message, which refers to the conduct of investigative actions against the Baku Office of Radio Liberty in connection with the investigation for the prevention of money laundering.

The investigation established that the bank accounts of the company RFE / RL Inc (representative office of Corporation RFE / RL in Azerbaijan) from 01.01.2010 to 09.12.2014 received 3,555,688 manat from the corporation’s head office.

In this case, 189,100 manat was transferred to the prepaid account of the financial manager (legal representative) Yahya Mirzoyev and taken by him in cash and registered as costs for various purposes.

Taking such a large sum of money by only one member of the mission and its registration as costs for photos, videos, procurement of drinking water, tea and sugar, payments, and barber shop services and lack of representation of a declaration of personal income to the tax authorities, spending large amounts of money on freeware edition of the magazine Different Way of Thinking is suspicious about embezzling major funds by officials of the Baku Office.

In addition, a correspondent of the radio Farah Aliyeva (actually a former correspondent) testified to the investigators that in May 2013 the financial manager of Radio Liberty Yahya Mirzoyev through participation in the Reading Room project issued a contract for a total of 3 675 manat in her name. According to the press release, Aliyeva received 900 manat and Mirzoyev embezzled 2,775 manat.

Another employee of Radio Liberty Javid Zeynalov (a former employee) testified that Mirzoyev invited him to his office in November 2012 and offered him a salary of 1,130 manat, of which he would only take AZN 400 and give the rest to the financial manager.

From December 2012 to June 2013 Zeynalov received AZN 7,910 in cash from the bank, taking only 2,900 manat and giving 5,010 manat to Mirzoyev.

Thus, there are serious suspicions about Mirzoyev’s abuse of office and embezzling 7,785 manat for personal gain.

In addition, the investigation established that of the funds received to the accounts of the company RFE / RL Inc in 2010-2014, 1.944.412 manat was spent on staff salaries, while AZN 1,422,176 was removed by transfer to the accounts of 61 individuals and 25 entities. Thus in violation of the law, reports were not presented to the relevant state bodies, declarations were not submitted to the tax authorities, and the accreditation of journalists at the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan was not extended.

In connection with the implementation of dubious banking operations, the Nasimi District Court on December 27, in order to conduct appropriate checks with the involvement of the Ministry of Taxes, temporarily suspended operations on the bank accounts of Radio Liberty and individuals who had collaborated with it in OJSC International Bank of Azerbaijan.

"The initial test results give reason to suspect the representation of tax evasion. Currently, the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes at the Prosecutor General's Office continues to implement measures of preliminary investigation," the press release of the Prosecutor General says in conclusion.

Previously, Radio Liberty rejected the allegations of money laundering. -06D--