Trial on new criminal case against Ali Aliyev

Baku/29.10.22/Turan: On October 28, a preparatory hearing was held in the Sabunchu District Court of Baku on the criminal case against the leader of the Citizens and Development party, Ali Aliyev, who is already serving a prison sentence based on three convictions. On January 13, the Yasamal District Court of Baku sentenced Ali Aliyev to five months in prison on charges of libel.

A complaint in the form of a private criminal charge against him was filed by lieutenant-colonel of the border service Emil Jafarov. Ramin Adilov, another border guard officer, filed a similar complaint against Aliyev. On this complaint, Aliyev received another month in prison.

They are both survivors of the Mi-17 helicopter crash on November 30th in the Khizi region. The reason for the lawsuit was Aliyev’s interview to the Osmanqızı TV Youtube channel on December 9, 2021.

In particular, Aliyev suggested that the helicopter could have crashed as a result of external influence, so the attack on the helicopter of the border service should be considered as an attack on the borders of Azerbaijan, he said.

Aliyev did not rule out that Russia could be behind the provocation, which has long been seeking to secure the border of Azerbaijan.

Subsequently, Aliyev's sentence was increased to 1 year in prison at the suit of Ramiz Geyushev, a former functionary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

In the new case, Aliyev is charged under  the Article 127.2.3 (deliberate damage to health) of the Criminal Code. Aliyev, in particular, is charged with causing bodily harm to his cellmate.

During the trial, chaired by Judge Anar Rzayev, Aliyev called the charges far-fetched and politically motivated.

At the meeting, he made a number of petitions, said the head of the human rights organization "Protection Line" Rufat Safarov.

“Ali Aliyev, in particular, requested that the prisoners, who were kept with him in the same cell, be interrogated during the trial. Aliyev motivated this by the need for prisoners to characterize the identity of the convict recognized as a victim,” Safarov said.

According to him, Aliyev also criticized the actions of the investigation, saying that the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are tools in the hands of political power.

Aliyev demanded that the criminal case be dropped. However, the public prosecutor objected. The judge, having rejected the defense motions, scheduled a hearing on the merits for November 5. ---06B--