Лука Волонте
Baku / 03.06.19 / Turan: Today, on May 3, at 9 o'clock local time, the trial of the former Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Luca Volonte, began at the Palace of Justice in Milan. He is accused of receiving large bribes from the Azerbaijani authorities in order to bribe other PACE deputies.
As it became known to Turan from informed sources, the former head of Azerbaijan"s representation in the EU, Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Arif Mammadov takes part in the trial as an expert from the prosecution.
For security purposes, it is provided with enhanced protection from the Italian law enforcement agencies. In general, unprecedented security measures have been taken around the court and, in particular, Volonte himself.
The Italian deputy Luca Volonte is the person involved in the international "caviar diplomacy" scandal, according to the investigation of the international NGO European Stability Initiative. He is accused of receiving 2.3 million euros from Azerbaijan, which was spent on bribing a number of PACE deputies to fail the report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan in January 2013.
In 2016, the Milan Prosecutor"s Office launched an investigation against Volonte, bringing charges against him. -0-
Politics
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Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who arrived in Baku today, held a press conference at the COP29 climate conference. When asked about the arrested climate activists and opposition figures in Azerbaijan, she stated that Germany advocates for the release of government critics and that she would raise this issue during her meeting with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister. She specifically mentioned the name of Professor Gubad Ibadoglu, a doctor from Dresden University.
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On November 21, climate activists held a series of protests at the COP29 climate conference in Baku. The main themes of the protests included nuclear weapons testing, animal killings, protection of rivers and water bodies, and environmental pollution.
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The General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) adopted a resolution on Friday reaffirming its commitment to democratic reforms, regional stability, and European integration amidst escalating geopolitical tensions driven by Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
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Activist Nijat Ibrahim, who was detained in Baku pre-trial detention center-1, inflicted numerous wounds on himself on November 20 in protest against unjustified criminal prosecution, his wife Parvin Ibrahim told Turan. According to her, on November 21, her husband called her and informed her that the day before he had inflicted incised wounds on himself with a piece of mirror. In particular, he cut his throat and ears.
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