Criminal Case on Smuggling Filed against Gezal Bayramli (UPDATED)

Baku / 26.05.17 / Turan: A criminal case was opened against the deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, Gezal Bayramli, under Article 206.1 (smuggling). This is stated in the message of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan.

According to the State Border Service, Bayramli was detained on May 25 at about 22.00 at the Shikhli border post in the Gazakh region during joint actions with the state customs.

"Since Bayramli behaved suspiciously, her hand luggage was inspected and undeclared 12,000 US dollars was found and seized from there," it was reported.

The Investigation Department of the State Border Service started a criminal case under Article 206.1 (smuggling).

In the course of the initial investigation it was established that upon leaving the country on May 24, Bayramli did not have any money to be declared.

At the moment, the necessary investigative measures are being carried out, the report says. -16D06-

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2017 May 26 (Friday) 13:53:13

On Detention of Gezal Bayramli

Baku / 25.05.17 / Turan: The Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party Gezal Bayramli detained on the Azerbaijani-Georgian border was handed over to the State Security Service (SSS) officers and they are already taking her to Baku. Turan was informed about this by human rights activist Ogtay Gulaliyev.

According to him, today at 6:00 a.m. Bayramli was brought to the Shamkir regional department of the Border Guard Service.

Against Bayramli a criminal case has been filed, in all likelihood, under the articles Smuggling and Using Counterfeit Money. She was allegedly found 10 thousand counterfeit US dollars, Gulaliyev said.

According to Gulaliyev, Bayramli was monitored in Tbilisi. The reason for the arrest could be Bayramli's visit to the family of the surgeon Farman Jeyranov, who was arrested in Georgia this week, and whom the Azerbaijani authorities announced wanted.

Gulaliyev believes the version of the false money is not up to criticism, because it turns out that the Georgian customs officials "missed" the smuggling.

According to Gulaliyev, three residents of the Gazakh region, allegedly cooperating with law enforcement agencies, were involved as witnesses. In addition, during the inspection of luggage, the lights were turned off so that CCTV cameras did not fix the process of planting the fake money.

It is expected that Bayramli will be in Baku at about 6 p.m. and today the court will choose a preventive measure against her.

According to Gulaliyev, the alleged charges are very serious and entail a real term of imprisonment.

The spouse of the former head of the Supreme Majlis of the PFPA, the late Hasan Kerimov, Almaz Kerimova, in her turn informed Turan IA that on August 24 she and Bayramli went to Georgia for medical examination and received medicine prescriptions and returned to Azerbaijan on May 25.

She passed border control first and was waiting for Bayramli. However Bayramli did not come. Kerimova wanted to return, but she was not allowed. It was about 8 p.m. on 25 May. Later Bayramli came up to Hasanova and managed to report that her things were "planted something", but she was immediately taken away.

Kerimova waited for Bayramli at the border post till 4:00 in the morning, because the border guards told her that Bayramli would be released in half an hour. -06D--

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2017 May 26 (Friday) 11:44:10

Gezal Bayramli Arrested (Updated)

Baku / 26.05.17 / Turan: The Deputy Chairman of the PFPA Gezal Bayramli has been arrested. It is expected that she will be delivered to Baku.

She was detained by the Border Guard Service, which initiated a criminal case, the lawyer Elchin Sadigov told Turan Information Agency. The lawyer does not know of what Bayramli is accused or on what article the case has been filed.

The Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party Nuraddin Mammadli, who has left for Gazakh, told Turan he expected she would be charged with smuggling. "This is a falsified charge on a political order," he said.

The Azerbaijani Border Service does not comment on this issue. -16D-

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2017 May 26 (Friday) 10:32:45

Deputy Chairman of PFPA Detained on Georgian-Azerbaijani Border

Baku / 26.05.17 / Turan: On late May 25, Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party (PFPA) Gezal Bayramli was detained at the customs checkpoint while returning from Georgia.

As the leader of the PFPA Ali Kerimli wrote in his Facebook status, Bayramli "was planted something in the bag" and detained. She managed to inform Kerimli about this on the phone.

On the morning of May 26, the situation still remains unchanged, the PFPA leader said. Bayramli has not yet been released, and it is not known whether she faces any claims. The Customs Committee and the Border Guard Service do not comment on the situation.

According to Kerimli, Bayramli was in Georgia on treatment and returned back after the next course.

Kerimli believes the authorities want to put forward false charges against Bayramli and arrest her. The goal is to compromise the PFPA and weaken the party.

"Do they really believe that Bayramli's arrest will cause the weakening of the Popular Front? Are there really no adequate people in power who do not understand that sanctions and pressure of international organizations, and not the weakening of the PFPA, wait for this regime?" Kerimli wrote. -02D-