Economist Farid Mehralizade's detention extended until December 19

On Friday, the Khatai District Court in Baku extended the detention of economist Farid Mehralizade for an additional three months. According to the court's decision, he will remain in custody until December 19, his lawyer, Javad Javadov, reported. Mehralizade was arrested in connection with the “Abzas Media” case. However, he denies the charges, stating that he has no connection to the publication and only provided expert comments to this and other media outlets.

*Farid Mehralizade was arrested on June 1 on charges of smuggling foreign currency (Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code), along with “Abzas Media” staff. In mid-August, Mehralizade, like all other individuals involved in the case, was faced with new charges under Articles 192.3.2, 193-1.3.1, 193-1.3.2, 206.4, 320.1, 320.2, and 213.2.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal entrepreneurship by an organized group, legalization of large sums of money obtained through crime by an organized group, smuggling by an organized group, forgery and use of forged documents, and group tax evasion).  Human rights defenders recognized him as a political prisoner.