Former head of the MNS department and his wife convicted of high treason

Baku / 12.02.20 / Turan: The Baku Military Court sentenced Zakir Ismayilov, the former head of the Department of National Security to 19 years and his wife Nazaket to 10 years for treason, write a number of local media.

In December 2018, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan announced the disclosure of “an intelligence network of a foreign intelligence service that has conducted multi-stage espionage activities in Azerbaijan for several years.”

Employees of Azerbaijani secret services were involved in the espionage network, the State Security Service's public relations department said on December 26.

"Zakir Alibala oglu Ismayilov, born in 1959, who held the post of head of department of the Ministry of National Security and other responsible posts, was involved in secret cooperation by the foreign intelligence service," the statement said. According to the investigation, for a material reward he regularly provided foreign intelligence services with materials on counterintelligence activities, information on the personnel of the state security agencies and other secret information.

He continued cooperation after retirement in 2015.

Another former employee of the Ministry of National Security, Yusifzade Bahruz Yashar oghlu, born in 1977, was recruited after going to the state security organs, the report said.

In 2018, nothing was said about the role of Ismayilov’s wife in espionage against Azerbaijan. The trial in this case began in September 2019. Convicted spouses pleaded not guilty and filed an appeal. It is not reported in hose favor the espionage was conducted. -02D-