Woman-resident of Azerbaijan commits suicide because of inaction in investigation into murder of her mother, her relatives assert

This morning, in Azerbaijan, Tarana Gabibova, a resident of the town of Khachmaz, jumped from the fifth floor. According to her relatives, Tarana Gabibova committed suicide because of the fact that law enforcement agents did not investigate the murder of her mother Nadjima Babaeva, who was the owner of the major shopping centre "Arzu" in Khachmaz. The family members believe that the murder of Nadjima Babaeva was backed by the local authorities.

"After the murder of our mother, health of our sister deteriorated, she got a disorder of her nervous system. Yesterday, Tarana came to visit Gyulnara, the other sister, and in the morning Tarana jumped from the fifth floor," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Fuad Gabibov, the brother of Tarana Gabibova.

Nadjima Babaeva was murdered on September 15, 2010, in her apartment in Khachmaz. The murderer cut her throat and hit her in her temple with piercing object several times.

After that, Gyulnara and Fuad Gabibov, the daughter and the son of the deceased woman, repeatedly held press conferences in Baku, at which they stated that the law enforcement agencies intentionally did not investigate the murder, which, according to the relatives, was backed by the district authorities.

According to the brother and the sister Gabibov, more than 10 years ago, their mother had legally privatized the shopping centre "Arzu". "However, even the former head of the district pressured Babaeva to give up the object. When Shamsaddin Khanbabaev was appointed the head of the district, the pressure even increased," the children of Nadjima Babaeva state.

"Local authorities constantly threatened with demolition of the object in order to build a road and spread rumours about the soonest closure of the shopping centre to drive tenants of retail outlets," Gyulnara Gabibova said.

According to her, "Babaeva has won litigations with the district authorities at the Sumgait City Court and the Sumgait Court of Appeal. However, after the murder, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the district authorities, and the shopping centre was practically seized from the heirs of Babaeva."

During all that time, the district authorities did not comment on the accusations against them voiced by the children of Nadjima Babaeva.

The Khachmaz District police confirmed the fact of suicide committed by Tarana Gabibova; however, police officers refused to comment on the possible causes of suicide.

On February 16, 2011, Rasim Melikov, Prosecutor of the Khachmaz District, announced that the case of the murder of Nadjima Babaeva was under the control of Zakir Garalov, General Prosecutor. "On behalf of Zakir Garalov, the investigation into this case was entrusted to the Investigatory Department on Serious Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of the republic. The Prosecutor's Office is doing everything possible to solve the crime," the "APA" quotes Rasim Melikov as saying.