Tophig Yagublu claimed falsification of criminal case against him

On 13 December, the Baku Court for Serious Crimes at the trial of opposition politician Tofig Yagublu started to examine the documents of the case.

First, the protocol of ‘search and seizure’ of money in Yagublu's house was announced.

Yagublu claimed that the money had been planted by the police themselves and this was confirmed in court by the testimonies of the trial participants.

In particular, wife of the politician Maya Yagublu said that some of the persons who came with the search immediately went up to the first floor, together with her. They formally looked into one shelf of the cupboard. Meanwhile, another group put the money they had brought under the mattress in a room on the lower floor.

Then the law enforcers who came down from upstairs lifted the mattress and ‘discovered’ the money, Yagublu continued.

He pointed out that if he had the money, there were more ‘secure’ places in the house where it could have been hidden.

Yagublu also pointed out that the search was stopped after the money was ‘discovered.’

‘After all, there were many more places they could have searched? Or maybe I was hiding weapons? The whole point is that they considered their case finished and they were no longer interested in looking for anything further,’ Yagublu said.

Yagublu also emphasised the ‘discovery’ by a fingerprint examination of his fingerprints on the banknotes ‘seized’ from his home.

‘My fingerprints were allegedly found in two banknotes of 100 manats and 1 banknote of 50 euros. But how is it that my fingerprints are found, but there are no fingerprints of Elnur (Mammadov) (another defendant in the case) and Elshan (Elshan Huseynov is on trial as a victim), who allegedly handed me the money,’ Yagublu said, calling it another evidence of fabrication of the case.

Further on in the trial, the judge announced a Whatsapp correspondence between Huseynov and Mammadov, which discussed Yagublu's handing over of money to issue a visa to Huseynov.

The correspondence revealed that they had just met and Huseynov had asked Mammadov for help to obtain a visa and the latter had told him that Yagublu could do so.

It was noted that the correspondence began on 5 December 2023.

Yagublu drew attention to ‘inconsistencies “in connection with this in the case materials”, as the investigation claimed that Huseynov and Mammadov met six months ago before the “transfer of money” to the politician.

Yagublu emphasised that the correspondence took place only a few days before his detention.

‘The country is full of swindlers, victims can't get them brought to justice for months. And in this case Elshan Huseynov makes an agreement with Elnur Mammadov, immediately gives money and then literally the next day writes a statement to the police, they immediately take statements from him and within three days I was detained. Where is the ‘investigation’ in this case? Where is the evidence, the proof? And then you will announce that the court has ‘proved’ my ‘guilt’,’ Yagublu said.

The next hearing is scheduled for 29 December.

*As a reminder, Tofig Yagublu, a member of the National Council of Democratic Forces and Musavat Party, was arrested on 14 December 2023 on charges of fraud, falsification and illegal production of official documents and use of forged documents.

Yagublu called the charges far-fetched. The politician has previously been repeatedly subjected to criminal and administrative prosecutions. International organisations have recognised him as a prisoner of conscience.