The criminal case against Bakhtiar Hajiyev was launched due to American sanctions against a police officer.
On March 1, at the Baku Serious Crimes Court, at the trial of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, he continued to testify. Hajiyev stated the political motives of his criminal prosecution, using his conflict with journalist Ulvia Alovlu. However, after some time, the case was closed and was resumed immediately after “on the basis of his appeals, the United States imposed sanctions for human rights violations against an Azerbaijani police officer” (meaning Kerim Alimardanov, an employee of the main directorate for combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).
Hajiyev said that at the time of his arraignment on December 9, 2022, his email and social media accounts, as well as the memory of his mobile phone, were hacked. The charges of economic crimes against him were fabricated on the basis of an anonymous letter received by the Interior Ministry.
All this happened after appeals to government agencies by Ulvia Alovlu, where she falsely claimed that Hajiyev was preparing a coup with foreign money. The inquiries of the investigative authorities regarding Hajiyev’s real estate and bank accounts in Georgia received negative responses.
Hajiyev called the arrest of activist Rail Abbasov another evidence of the political motives of his case. Abbasov actively participated in the public defense of Hajiyev and for this he began to be persecuted. Abbasov was arrested at the end of 2023, but in July his car and housing were arrested. The meeting concluded with an exploratory meeting scheduled for March 15.
* Bakhtiar Hajiyev was detained on December 9, 2022 on charges of hooliganism under Articles 221 and 289 (contempt of court) of the Criminal Code. In July of the same year, he was charged under Articles 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 193-1 (legalization of proceeds from crime) and 206 (smuggling) of the Criminal Code.
On November 7, Hajiyev was charged under Article 213.1 of the Criminal Code (tax evasion, unemployment insurance payments, compulsory medical and social insurance).
All the charges are fabricated. Bakhtiar Hajiyev is convinced that the reason for the arrest and charges is the criticism of the authorities. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner.