Criminal case against Anar Mammadli and Imran Aliyev is kept separate from "Abzas Media" case?

The criminal case against Anar Mammadli, head of the Centre for Monitoring of Elections and Democracy, and Imran Aliyev, head of the website "Meclis.info", has been separated from the "Abzas Media" case. This decision was adopted by the investigative body. Lawyers Elmar Suleymanov and Elchin Sadygov informed Turan about it.

According to Sadygov, both activists are under investigation on charges of smuggling.

It should be added that the decision of the investigation to conduct a separate criminal investigation against Mammadli and Aliyev does not exclude the possibility of bringing new persons into the case.

The Baku Police Department, which is conducting the investigation, has not yet made any statements on this matter.

It is to remind that on 30 April Anar Mammadli was charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling by conspiracy of a group of persons) and arrested.

The head of "Meclis.info" website Imran Aliyev was detained on 18 April on charges under Article 206.3.3 of the Criminal Code (smuggling by an official using his official position) and he was also arrested.

Numerous international organisations, including the US State Department called on the Azerbaijani government to immediately release Anar Mammadli, Imran Aliyev and others arrested.

As a reminder, over the past few months criminal cases have been brought against 17 activists and journalists, 15 of them are in prison.