Representatives of civil society are preparing to address the President in the case of the murder of Narmin Guliyeva

Baku/21.06.23/Turan: Representatives of civil society convened a hearing on Wednesday ibn Baku regarding the case of Ilkin Suleymanov, who stands accused of the murder of 10-year-old Narmin Guliyeva. Since the outset of this high-profile case, doubts have been cast on Suleymanov's involvement in the girl's death, with the public and media raising questions. The investigation and subsequent trial have been marred by evident violations and contradictions, further fueling skepticism surrounding Suleymanov's guilt.

During today's hearing, the defense presented arguments that shed light on the fabrication of the criminal case against Suleymanov. Moreover, the defense's investigation revealed several facts suggesting that Suleymanov may have fallen victim to a human trafficking network. They presented evidence indicating that the body found does not match the physiological characteristics of Narmin Guliyeva, raising concerns about the fate of the missing girl and the identity of the burned body discovered.

In light of the inconsistencies in the criminal case, the hearing resulted in a decision to prepare a special report that will be presented to the country's President, alongside an appeal from civil society, which assumed personal responsibility for this high-profile case three years ago.

On June 5, the Ganja Serious Crimes Court sentenced Ilkin Suleymanov to 18 years in prison on charges of kidnapping and murdering Narmin Guliyeva in November 2019. Lawyer Alibaba Rzayev denounced the verdict as a "mockery of the law." He stated, "The judicial investigation has spanned over two years, yet not a single piece of evidence has been presented. We had hoped that such a blatant injustice would not occur, but our hopes were in vain. The defense will continue to fight until justice is restored."

Rufat Safarov, Executive Director of the NGO "Line of Defense," highlighted that the court transformed the indictment into a verdict without any supporting evidence.

Suleymanov himself maintains his innocence. He was charged with the abduction and murder of the 10-year-old girl in the village of Dondar Gushchu, Tovuz district in November 2019. Narmin Guliyeva has been missing since her disappearance, but the case against Suleymanov was initiated when he discovered the charred body of a girl on January 6, 2020. He was charged under various articles of the Criminal Code, including premeditated murder, causing suffering to an abducted person, causing harm to a minor, and kidnapping.

Lawyers and human rights activists present at the hearings emphasized the numerous gross violations committed during the investigation and alleged that Suleymanov was subjected to torture to extract confessions. It was also noted that Suleymanov's relatives and fellow villagers reject the investigation's version of events and have held protests demanding his release.