British Court Upholds Arrest Warrant on Azerbaijani Parliament Member's London Property

In a recent development reported by the Voice of America, a British court has upheld the decision to place a $50 million property owned by Azerbaijani parliament member Javanshir Feyziyev and his wife under arrest in London. This decision, confirmed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Report Project (OCCRP), follows an application from the British National Crime Agency (NCA) in June 2023.

According to the NCA, there is compelling evidence suggesting that Feyziev and his wife acquired the frozen property through money laundering activities, with transactions conducted through companies previously implicated in similar illicit financial schemes. Despite a petition submitted by the Feyziyev family's lawyer to cancel the arrest warrant, the court rejected the appeal on March 8, 2024.

Transparency International welcomed the court's decision, emphasizing the importance of holding accountable those who seek to launder proceeds of crime and corruption in the United Kingdom. The organization stressed the necessity for law enforcement agencies to receive adequate resources to combat economic crimes effectively and prevent the UK from becoming a safe haven for illicit funds.

This development is not the first time the Feyziyev family has faced scrutiny over their financial activities in the UK. Previously, the British National Crime Agency froze over $20 million in the family's accounts, alleging involvement in an international money laundering scheme dubbed the "Azerbaijan Laundromat."

In January 2022, the Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered the confiscation of more than $7 million of the frozen funds, citing evidence that the money was obtained through fabricated documents intended to conceal money laundering activities.

The OCCRP's research paper on the "Azerbaijan Laundromat," published in 2017, alleged that two companies reportedly owned by Javanshir Feyziev received $138 million through the illicit money laundering mechanism.

Despite these allegations, Feyziyev has vehemently denied any involvement in money laundering or other illegal activities. His denial stands firm, even after being awarded the "Shohrat" order by the President of Azerbaijan in 2023.

As legal proceedings continue, the case underscores the importance of international cooperation in combatting financial crimes and maintaining the integrity of global financial systems.