On trial of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev's case

The trial in the case of activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev continues at the Baku Serious Crimes Court on Monday.

The session continued to study the documents and put forward the defence's motions.

In particular, the defence asked to exclude false documents from the case file, prosecute witnesses who gave false testimony, and request additional evidence,’ said lawyer Elchin Sadygov.

Hajiyev himself pointed out that documents of unknown origin were attached to the case file, on the basis of which new charges were brought against him. In particular, he demanded to investigate from which e-mail address the Interior Ministry received these documents, when and by whom they were sent.

Hajiyev pointed out that under the law, the source of evidence must be known and assessed on the basis of its reliability.

*Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested in December 2022 on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court.

On 16 June last year, the activist was charged with new charges linked to financial irregularities - misappropriation of grants. He was also charged with illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, smuggling and using forged documents.

In November of the same year, another charge was brought against him - non-payment of taxes.

Hajiyev himself and his colleagues consider the trial to be a political order, the reason for which was Hajiyev's harsh criticism of the activities of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry and, in particular, of Minister Vilayat Eyvazov himself.