The trial of Tofig Yagublu, a prominent opposition politician in Azerbaijan, resumed on September 27 at the Baku Court of Serious Crimes, presided over by Judge Elnur Nuriyev.
Yagublu, a member of the National Council and the Musavat Party has been in detention for nearly 10 months, facing charges that could result in a lengthy prison sentence.
During this session, the court announced that the interrogation of Yagublu, the alleged victim, and witnesses had concluded. As the proceedings moved towards examining documentary evidence, Yagublu’s defense team sought to delay this next stage. They submitted a motion requesting the court to hear additional witnesses before reviewing the case’s documents. Among those named was Yagublu’s wife, Maya Yagublu, who has spoken publicly about police misconduct in handling evidence related to the case.
The defense argues that Maya Yagublu’s testimony is crucial to clarify how law enforcement allegedly removed money from their home. She has repeatedly claimed that the cash, central to the prosecution’s case, was planted and later seized by the police.
Another key figure the defense wants to call is Huseyn Malikov, who was with Yagublu at the time of the alleged incident. The case materials claim that Yagublu and his co-defendant, Elnur Mammadov (also referred to as Elnur Vaqifoglu), conspired to send an individual to Germany in exchange for money. According to the prosecution, this discussion took place in front of the Narimanov District Court before Mammadov allegedly received the funds in the Zabrat settlement.
Yagublu, however, has vehemently denied these allegations, maintaining that they are politically motivated. He insists that at the time of the alleged transaction, he was attending a meeting of the National Council’s Coordination Center at the home of another potential witness, Vidadi Mirkamal.
In a related development, Mammadov’s defense attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges against his client under articles 178.3.2 (fraud causing significant damage) and 320 (use of forged documents) of the Criminal Code, which carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years.
When given the floor to comment on Mammadov’s case, Yagublu made a politically charged statement, denouncing the country’s leadership. He described what he called “the biggest fraud” as the appointment of Ilham Aliyev as Prime Minister in 2003, linking it to his own prosecution. The judge swiftly interrupted Yagublu, preventing him from continuing his remarks.
The trial has been adjourned until October 18.
Yagublu, a long-time critic of the Azerbaijani government, has faced several legal challenges over the years. He was first imprisoned in 2013, accused of organizing protests in Ismayilli, before being released in 2017 under an amnesty. In 2020, he was again sentenced to over four years in prison following accusations of hooliganism after a car accident. Following a high-profile hunger strike, Yagublu’s sentence was later reduced to house arrest.
The post Defense calls for new witnesses as Tofig Yagublu’s trial progresses appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.