Several Officials Face Criminal Charges in Garadagh Executive Power Operation

The Prosecutor General's Office recently announced the arrest of the deputy head of Garadagh Executive Power, along with other officials, following an operation in Baku's Garadagh District Executive Power.

The Main Department for Combating Corruption under the Prosecutor General carried out the operation.

The initial investigation revealed suspicions of illegal activities involving Nadir Muradov, the deputy head of Garadagh District Executive Power; Gafar Abdullayev, the acting head of the District Economic Department; executive power employees Rashad Nadirli and Isa Shamsaliyev; and Zulfugar Mansurov, the deputy head of the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy.

These individuals are suspected of taking bribes from citizens for land plot formalization and property rights registration in the Garadagh district.

They face charges under Criminal Code Articles 311.3.1, 311.3.2, and 311.3.3, relating to bribery committed by a group, repeatedly, and in large amounts.

The court ordered the arrest of Nadir Muradov, Gafar Abdullayev, and Zulfugar Mansurov. Isa Shamsaliyev and Rashad Nadirli were placed under police supervision.

Local news sites reported the operation on November 2, stating that Nadir Muradov and others were detained and arrested for nearly four months by the Binagadi district court's decision.

Balakan District Executive Head Dismissed and Arrested

On October 30, President Ilham Aliyev dismissed Islam Rzayev from his position as head of the Balakan district executive power, without stating a reason. The next day, Rzayev was arrested amid charges of large-scale embezzlement (Article 179.3.2) and repeated bribery (Article 311.3.2). He was given a four-month sentence.

Further Details from the Prosecutor General's Office

On November 3, the Prosecutor General's Office reported that Gafar Abdullayev and Zulfugar Mansurov would also be arrested, in addition to N. Muradov. Rashad Nadirli and Isa Shamsaliyev were placed under police supervision.

The Prosecutor General's Office alleges that N. Muradov and others received bribes for land formalities and ensuring state registration of ownership rights.

The investigation and operational measures are ongoing.

The statement mentions the officials are accused of repeatedly taking large bribes as a group. Nadir Muradov, Gafar Abdullayev, and Zulfugar Mansurov have been arrested, while Isa Shamsaliyev and Rashad Nadirli are under police supervision.

The officials' response to the charges remains unknown.

Background on Islam Rzayev

Islam Rzayev led the Balakan district for 14 years and previously held positions in various regions and state agencies. Born in 1965, he graduated with an economics degree in 1988 and began his career in the Goychay region Finance Department.

Past Arrests

A wave of executive head arrests in Azerbaijan began in December 2019, with operations in the Yevlakh and Agstafa regions. This continued in other districts, with officials arrested for embezzlement, abuse of power, and other charges. Some officials denied the charges.