Explore Azerbaijan’s wine history—and its unexpected German past National Geographic
Day: August 5, 2025
The “Red Bridge” border crossing point on Azerbaijan’s border has demonstrated high efficiency, according to the latest analysis of the Cross-Border Trade and Transport Facilitation Index (CBTTFI), Azernews reports, citing new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Red Bridge crossing received an overall score of…
In the United Kingdom, lawyer Rory Fordays has been fined £32,500 (approximately $42,000) for negligence in conducting checks on funds linked to the family of former Azerbaijani Minister of National Security, Eldar Mahmudov.
According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the decision was issued by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) of the UK. Additionally, Fordays has been banned from holding managerial or compliance-related roles at law firms for five years and must also pay £50,000 (about $64,000) in legal costs.
The tribunal described Fordays’ checks as “rudimentary, piecemeal and naive” The court noted that between 2013 and April 2015, large sums of money were transferred twice by family members of Anar Mahmudov, the son of Eldar Mahmudov, into an account held by the law firm “Taylor Fordyce,” where Fordays served as a director.
One of these payments — more than £1.9 million — was used by a company called “Continental Properties Limited” to purchase a commercial property in southern England. Although the specific address was not disclosed, OCCRP reported that in May 2015, Continental Properties bought a property in Newbury housing shops such as Pizza Hut, Greggs, and the Salvation Army for £1.85 million (approximately $2.9 million).
According to the SDT, Fordays informed regulators that Continental Properties ultimately belonged to a trust named Continental Trust, which had been established by Anar Mahmudov as the settlor. He also stated that Mahmudov was neither a director, shareholder, nor a beneficial owner of Continental Properties Ltd, and that both Mahmudov and his wife had been removed from the list of trust beneficiaries.
The SDT concluded that Fordays relied too heavily on conflicting information provided by Mahmudov’s representatives and prioritized the property transaction without requesting proper documentation.
Helen Taylor, deputy director of the international anti-corruption organization Spotlight on Corruption, said this case raises fresh questions about the flow of Azerbaijani-origin money into the UK real estate market. She emphasized that small law firms’ reluctance to ask tough questions of large or wealthy clients creates a fertile ground for corruption.
In a previous OCCRP investigation, it was revealed that the Mahmudov family had built a business and real estate empire in Europe worth at least €100 million. The property in question was not included in that list.
A lawyer for the Mahmudov family had earlier told OCCRP that the family’s wealth dates back to the 19th century and all assets have been legally registered.
The post UK Lawyer fined over ties to former Azerbaijani Minister appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
Non-stop protests have been taking place across Georgia for 248 days since Georgian Dream announced it was halting the EU integration process. Since then, protesters have blocked Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue, where the parliament building is located, every day, while daily gatherings have also taken place in other major Georgian cities. Georgian Dream authorities, whose legitimacy is disputed after the contested October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections, have responded to the protests with force and repression.
The one-party parliament has introduced a series of repressive laws to crack down on dissent, independent media, and civil society. Dozens have been arrested and remain in jail on criminal charges, including protesters, opposition leaders, and journalist Mzia Amaglobeli. Key demands include the release of political prisoners, the resignation of the GD government, and the scheduling of new elections.
For earlier developments, refer to our previous:
- Liveblog: Resistance 2024,
- Liveblog: Resistance 2025, Vol. 1
- Liveblog: Resistance 2025, Vol. 2
- Liveblog: Resistance 2025, Vol. 3
Tuesday, August 5
12:30 – Appeals Court Overturns Fine Against RFE/RL Journalist in Contempt Case
The Tbilisi Court of Appeals, led by acting chair Irakli Shengelia, has overturned a decision by Tbilisi City Court judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili to fine Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Nino Tarkhnishvili 200 GEL [74 USD] for alleged contempt of court. Tkeshelashvili imposed the fine on July 7 during a hearing in the case of pro-European rally participant and doctor Giorgi Akhobadze, accused of drug-related offenses, claiming Tarkhnishvili sat down without permission before the judge formally allowed it. However, the Appeals Court, citing video footage of the session, found that Tarkhnishvili had stood up upon the court clerk’s prompt after the recess, refuting the City Court’s account and nullifying the penalty.
Monday, August 4
13:00 – RSF Slams Georgia’s Growing Wave of Journalist Entry Bans
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Paris-based press freedom watchdog, has condemned what it calls a “worrying rise in authoritarianism” after Moroccan journalist Hicham El Bouhmidi, known for covering anti-government protests, was denied entry at the Georgian border. Similar bans have affected other journalists, including French reporters Jérôme Chobeaux, Clément Girardot, and Marylise Vigneau were denied Entry in Georgia. “We condemn the wave of entry bans imposed on more than five journalists in recent months,” RSF stated, urging authorities to halt these restrictions on press freedom.