Azerbaijan completes preliminary investigation into case of rights defender Intigam Aliev

A preliminary investigation into the case of Intigam Aliev, the head of the NGO "Legal Education Society", is over in Azerbaijan. After the defence studies the indictment, the case will be sent to the court, said Fakhraddin Mekhtiev, Aliev's advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Intigam Aliev, the head of the NGO "Legal Education Society", was detained on August 8 and accused of tax evasion, abuse of office and illegal entrepreneurship. On October 24, his arrest was extended until February 8. 2015.

"Given the nature of charges, the case will be considered by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes," said the defender Fakhraddin Mekhtiev.

"We are now studying the case files; and I can say that the proofs presented by investigators are completely baseless. So far, I don't want to disclose the arguments of the defence; I can only say that we'll bring a motion to stop the criminal proceedings against Intigam Aliev. However, there are no hopes that the motion will be granted, because the case is political; therefore, it's clear that it will go to the court. We are preparing for the trial and plan to demonstrate the groundlessness of the charges against Intigam Aliev," said Mekhtiev.

According to his story, Aliev's trial will not begin until the second half of January or early February 2015.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.