The term of arrest of Bakhtiar Hajiyev has been extended for another 3 months

Baku/02.10.23/Turan: Today, the Khatai District Court extended the term of arrest of public activist Bakhtiar Hajiyev for another three months. The defense considered this decision unlawful. According to lawyers, now the period of pre-trial arrest of Gadzhiev will be 13 months, and the investigation period will be 16 months, which does not correspond to the gravity of the charges against him. The defense will appeal.

*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-