Appeal court rejects Bakhtiyar Hajiyev's complaint

Baku/28.08.23/Turan: Public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev's complaint against the refusal to transfer him to house arrest was rejected by the Baku Court of Appeal on 28 August, lawyer Agyil Laij said.

He said Hajiyev had also expressed attitude to allegations that he had misappropriated funds during the 44-day war in 2020 that were allegedly allocated by the "Soros Foundation". It was alleged that Hajiyev embezzled some of the money.

"The campaign to help the army was done at the expense of our citizens who gave funds to support the soldiers. It is dishonourable to cast a shadow on the solidarity of citizens who stood together with the army in a difficult hour," Hajiyev said.

*Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested on 9 December 2022 on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. On 15 December, Hajiyev began a hunger strike demanding his release and ended it on 28 December after persistent appeals from members of the public. On 9 January, he resumed his hunger strike when the Baku Court of Appeal rejected his request for release. Hajiyev ended his hunger strike on the 51st day of the hunger strike.

On 16 June this year, the investigative body charged Bakhtiyar Hajiyev under Articles 192 (Illegal entrepreneurship), 193 (false entrepreneurship), 320.1 (for using a licence or other official document granting rights or releasing from duties) of the Criminal Code. CC. falsification), 320.2 (knowingly using forged documents), 206.1 (smuggling) and the new charges.

The new charges are based on the allegation that Bakhtiyar Hajiyev received grants but did not spend them as intended.

Representatives of the US State Department, the US Helsinki Commission, the European Union, the Council of Europe and a number of international NGOs have repeatedly demanded Bakhtiyar Hajiyev's release from prison.-16d-