New trends in Azerbaijan: accusations of smuggling and blocking of bank accounts
Political persecution in Azerbaijan
Recently the trend of arrests on charges of smuggling has been increasing in Azerbaijan. Today, law enforcement authorities brought the same charge against the head of the internet TV Channel 13.
The second new trend is the seizure of bank accounts of not only the accused, but all those involved in the Abzas Media case, as well as their relatives.
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A new indictment against the head of Canal 13.
On December 19, a new charge was brought against Aziz Orujev, the head of the Internet TV channel “Channel 13”, who was arrested twenty days ago for illegal construction of a house. Now he is also charged under Article 206.3.2 (smuggling when committed by a group of persons, by prior conspiracy) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. This was reported by his lawyer Bahruz Bayramov.
“Today in the police department of Sabail district of Baku city a new accusation was brought against him. It is about a small amount of money that Aziz’s brother Anar sent to him from Europe through a person he knows. Aziz Orujev does not accept either the previous or these charges. He says his arrest is related to his journalistic activities,” the lawyer said.
Under this article, Orujev faces a prison sentence of 7 to 12 years.
Aziz Orujev was already sentenced in 2017 to 6 years in prison on charges of illegal entrepreneurship. In 2018, the Supreme Court reviewed the punishment and canceled the charge of illegal entrepreneurship. He was released early.
Five people from Abzas Media have been arrested – the chief editor Sevinj Vagifkyzy’, director Ulvi Hasanly, his deputy Mohammed Kekalov, reporter Nargiz Absalamova, investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly are also accused of smuggling in conspiracy with a group of persons.
Blocking of bank accounts
On December 18, a court hearing was scheduled on the complaint of all persons who are on trial in the Abzas Media case and their relatives. They complained about the court’s decision to block all bank accounts not only of the accused in the case, but also of witnesses and even their relatives, who are not involved in the case at all.
Investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly was not brought to the Baku Court of Appeal where the hearing was held. Therefore, the other complainants requested that the trial be postponed to another day. The court granted their request and the hearing was postponed to December 20.
Ofelia Magerramova, Sevinj Vagifkyzy’s mother, says she can no longer receive her disability pension because her pension card has been blocked.
“As a second-group disabled person, I receive a pension of 326 manats [about $190]. Every month on December 15, I used to withdraw money from the ATM. But this time I failed to withdraw money from my pension card. My medicines cost 500 manats [about $295]. My pension was not only not enough for living, but also for treatment. I have no income from anywhere else, this is all I had. I bought some medicines from the pharmacy on installments. I said I would pay when I got my pension, but I couldn’t get my pension. It’s very difficult,” she said.
Narmin Hasanova, Ulvi Hasanly’s sister, also says the blocking of Hasanly’s family members’ accounts has caused them considerable hardship:
“My mother Esvira Musayeva’s pension card and my sister Sadagat Hasanova’s salary card were blocked. They were the only breadwinners in the house. My mother has her own needs, she has been worrying for days, she doesn’t know what to do.”
Lawyer Elchin Sadygov claims that blocking the bank accounts not only of family members but also of the accused themselves is unjustified:
“Such decisions are taken in the investigation of some cases, but in this case there are no grounds for it. The decision is unfounded.”
