Defendants in ‘Abzas Media case' right to defence violated - lawyer

All defendants in the 'Abzas Media case' and their lawyers are not given copies of video recordings attached to the investigation materials, which is a violation of the right to defence. This was stated by lawyer Elchin Sadigov, defending the rights of 'Abzas Media' editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgyzy.

‘Copies of the video materials are not provided. According to the law, they should be given to the defence side, because the video recordings are indicated in the case materials as evidence,’ the lawyer said.

According to him, despite repeated complaints of the defence, there are no results.

On 10 September, the defendants were announced about the completion of the preliminary investigation. After that, the process of familiarisation of the defendants and lawyers with the case materials began, at the end of which the arrested will be brought to court.

Six journalists and media workers of 'Abzas Media' (Ulvi Hasanly, Sevinj Vagifgyzy, Nargiz Absalamova, Elnara Gasimova, Mohammed Kekalov) were arrested between November 2023 and January 2024. Subsequently, economist Farid Mehralizadeh was also arrested in this case.

Initially, all of them 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 journalists were charged with more serious charges: 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), as well as Article 213.2.1 (group tax evasion) of the Criminal Code.

These charges are punishable by up to 12 years' imprisonment. The journalists deny all the charges, saying that they are being persecuted for investigating corruption in the highest echelons of power.

Human rights activists recognised all the accused as political prisoners.