Prosecutor petitions for 11-year imprisonment of former ambassador E. Hasanov

On January 7, 2022, at a trial chaired by the judge of the Baku Court for Grave Crimes Afgan Hajiyev, the prosecutor requested 11 years in prison for Eldar Hasanov, the former Azerbaijani ambassador to Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, report.az internet news portal reports. He is charged with articles 308.2 (abuse of official duties) 308-1.1 (misappropriation of budgetary funds for other purposes) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On the criminal case initiated by the State Security Service (SSS) in connection with the fact that some officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan abuse their powers, commit actions that cause significant damage to the legally protected interests of the state, as well as on the facts of abuse of official powers, misappropriation, bribery, the head of the Department of Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the chairman of the tender commission of the ministry, Farhad Mollazade, the head of the Consular Department, Faig Baghirov and others, were prosecuted, and a measure of restraint in the form of arrest was chosen against them by a court decision.

In the course of operational and investigative measures on the ongoing criminal case, new information was obtained on the misappropriation of state budget funds allocated for various areas of activity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Based on the collected materials, a comprehensive audit on financial and economic activities was appointed by the appropriate decision, during which there were grounds for suspicion that the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina Hasanov Eldar Gumbat oglu misused significant budgetary funds and committed other offences.

As part of the investigation, Eldar Hasanov was detained as a suspect. In relation to him, by the decision of the Sabail District Court, a measure of restraint in the form of detention was chosen.

The criminal case against other participants in the crimes, accused together with E. Hasanov, has been separated into a separate proceeding, the investigation continues.

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