Azerbaijan sentences man to 16.5 years in treason case

The final court hearing has been held in the criminal case initiated by the State Security Service (SSS) against Akif Baghirov, who is accused of treason

The verdict was announced at a hearing chaired by Judge Mahira Karimova at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. Under the verdict, Akif Baghirov was sentenced to 16 years and 6 months’ imprisonment.

Note that Akif Alimirza oglu Baghirov is accused of attempting to give a large sum of money as a bribe on the instructions of a foreign special service in order to secure the release of Mahir Nurhuseyn oglu Zeynalov, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of the late academician Ziya Bunyadov.

Akif Baghirov handed the funds to another Azerbaijani citizen who has been held criminally liable, and these funds were discovered and seized as material evidence during investigative measures carried out within the framework of the criminal case initiated by the SSS.

He was charged under Articles 29 and 312.2 (attempted bribery) and Article 274 (treason) of the Criminal Code.