Anar Mammadli Denies Document Authenticity Amidst Ongoing Trial and Wider Crackdown

Anar Mammadli

BAKU, Azerbaijan – The legal battle for Anar Mammadli, the imprisoned chairman of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center, continued on June 23 with a significant development in his ongoing trial. Mammadli, who maintains his innocence, is accused of smuggling and various financial crimes, charges he claims are baseless. His case unfolds against a backdrop of a wider crackdown on media and civil society in Azerbaijan.

During the latest hearing at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, presided over by Judge Aygun Gurbanova, Mammadli's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, raised several motions, including a demand to exclude key documents from the evidence list. Sadigov asserted that the signatures on these documents do not belong to his client, stating, "Generally, this criminal case should be terminated." Due to the extensive nature of these motions, the court postponed the proceedings to June 30, allowing the panel time for review.

Anar Mammadli was initially arrested on April 29, 2024, with the Khatai District Court ordering his pre-trial detention the following day. He was first charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code, pertaining to smuggling committed by a group in preliminary conspiracy. Subsequently, additional articles related to financial offenses were added to his indictment, including illegal entrepreneurship, fictitious entrepreneurship, evasion of taxes, unemployment insurance, compulsory medical insurance, and mandatory state social insurance fees, as well as forgery of official documents, state awards, seals, stamps, and forms.

The case also involves public activist Anar Abdulla, who was declared a suspect on April 8, shortly before the investigation concluded. Abdulla faces similar financial charges, and a measure of restraint placing him under police supervision was chosen.

Mammadli’s situation is part of a concerning trend in Azerbaijan. Since November 2023, the country has witnessed a second major wave of arrests targeting independent journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition activists over the past decade. Those detained consistently argue that their arrests are politically motivated and the accusations against them are fabricated. Human rights organizations report that Azerbaijan currently holds over 375 political prisoners.

The outcome of the June 30 hearing and Mammadli’s case will be closely watched as it continues to highlight the pressures faced by civil society and independent voices in Azerbaijan.