Court Review — April 30 – May 1, 2026

On May 21, a preliminary hearing was held at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes in the criminal case against public activist and English teacher Dayanat Chalabiyev.

The sixth and final day of the World Urban Forum WUF13 in Baku marked the symbolic conclusion of one of the world’s largest international platforms dedicated to urbanization, housing, and sustainable development. After nearly a week of discussions on climate resilience, transport infrastructure, urban reconstruction, and affordable housing, the forum ended with a closing ceremony and the official transfer of the forum’s chairmanship from Azerbaijan to Mexico.

During the session, Judge Aygun Gurbanova read out the response to an inquiry sent to the State Social Protection Fund. According to the response, Natig Imamguliyev, who appeared in the case as a victim, had an employment contract with a construction company during the indicated period and received a salary of 400 manats. Defense lawyer Rovshana Rahimli pointed out that Imamguliyev had previously stated that he was unemployed.

The fifth day of the World Urban Forum WUF13 in Baku focused on the search for practical solutions to the global housing crisis, sustainable urban recovery and the financing of city infrastructure. While political statements and climate discussions dominated the previous days of the forum, the debate on May 21 shifted toward implementation mechanisms — from affordable housing models to transit-oriented development and the reconstruction of post-conflict territories.