The Baku Court of Appeal upheld the 10-year sentence for activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. The defense is preparing a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan.

“Unfortunately, the appellate court also failed to conduct an objective investigation. The defense filed over 40 motions, including to transfer Hajiyev to house arrest and lift the arrest on his property, order new examinations, and re-examine witnesses. We pointed out the illegality of the sentence, since no reliable evidence of the alleged crimes was presented. Some of the charges were completely absurd. Thus, the investigation and the court recognized the funds transferred to Hajiyev from the state budget in pursuance of the ECHR decision to pay him compensation as “illegal income” and confiscated them,” said lawyer Agil Laidj.

Earlier, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev called all charges falsified and the verdict politically motivated. He is convinced that the real reason for the criminal prosecution is the defendant's active activities and calls to impose sanctions against those who violate human rights in Azerbaijan. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was detained on December 9, 2022, on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. He was then also charged with illegal entrepreneurship, legalization of proceeds from crime, and smuggling. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner.