Court keeps Ulvi Hasanli in custody

Baku's Khatai District Court on 7 November considered a petition to place 'Abzas Media' building director Ulvi Hasanli under house arrest.

The hearing took place after the working day at 19.15, lawyer Zibeida Sadygova said. This was due to Hasanli's refusal to participate in the trial online, and he insisted on attending the trial.

The court did not inform the lawyer about it, she could not come to the trial and participated online.

Sadygova emphasised the illegality of considering applications for transfer to house arrest in the online form. ‘The defendant must personally participate in the process, and if the motion is granted, he must be released immediately. So, the court without holding a meeting in online form knowingly decides to deny the petition,’ the lawyer said. She noted that recently those arrested in the 'Abzas Media' case have not been brought to the courts.

Hasanly also protested that the defendants in the case are first told that tomorrow they will be taken to court and then it does not happen.

As for the petition for transfer to house arrest, it is justified by the fact that the investigation has already been completed and Hasanli's lawyer and Hasanli himself have familiarised themselves with the case materials.

On the other hand, Hasanli has a permanent place of residence in Baku, he does not consider himself guilty and therefore is not going to hide. However, the court did not satisfy the motion and the defence will appeal.

The day before, the court also rejected the petitions for transfer to house arrest of other defendants in the case: Sevinj Vagifgyzy and Elnara Gasymova.

* Ulvi Hasanly is one of the six journalists arrested in November 2023-January 2024 ‘in the Abzas Media case’.  Subsequently, economist Farid Mehralizadeh was arrested in this case.

Initially, all were charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

However, on 16-19 August, the charges were toughened - they were brought under Articles 192.3.2 (illegal entrepreneurship with large income); 193-1.3.1 and 193-1.3.2 (legalisation of criminal proceeds by an organised group); 206.4 (smuggling by an organised group); 320.1 and 320.2 (forgery of documents and use of forged documents); and 213.2.1 (group tax evasion) of the Criminal Code.

These charges are punishable by up to 12 years of imprisonment. The journalists deny all the charges.