TWO FORMER U.S. OFFICIALS AGREED TO TESTIFY AT A CRIMINAL TRIAL THAT GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN AZERBAIJAN WERE PAID BRIBES

Ilham Aliyev congratulated Irakli Kobakhidze on the victory of the Georgian Dream party in the elections and wished him continued success. "The victory of your party is of particular significance for the entire South Caucasus, making it a more stable region, and we rejoice in this victory as your friends and brothers. We wish your government new successes in its work," said Aliyev during a joint briefing following talks and the signing of bilateral documents.

On January 17, the Khatai District Court of Baku rejected the requests for house arrest for journalists Aynur Elgünesh and Natig Djavadly, employees of Meydan TV, their lawyers, Elchin Sadigov and Zibeyda Sadigova reported  to Turan news agency. According to the lawyers, there are no legal or procedural grounds for keeping the journalists in detention. The journalists themselves stated that the criminal case against them had been fabricated to punish them for their professional activities. The defense intends to appeal the court's refusal to transfer the journalists to house arrest.

Journalist Farid Ismayilov, who had been under police supervision in connection with the Toplum TV case, was detained on January 17 and brought to the Khatai District Court, his colleagues reported.

The preliminary investigation in the case of the Toplum TV publication (journalists and activists) is coming to an end, reported Rasul Jafarov, the lawyer of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, Ruslan Izzatli.