BAKU, Sept. 23, 2025
Prominent Azerbaijani lawyer Akram Hasanov has raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest involving Shaig Mirzayev, who is serving as legal counsel to detained businessman Adnan Ahmadzada.
Mirzayev is officially listed as head of the Department for Legal Affairs, Human Resources, and Documentation at the National Observatory on Labor Market and Social Protection Issues, a public legal entity under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population.
Hasanov argues that by defending Ahmadzada, Mirzayev may be violating Azerbaijan’s anti-corruption legislation.
According to Article 9.3.1 of the Law on Combating Corruption, public officials are prohibited from engaging in other paid activities – except for academic, teaching, or creative work – while holding office.
“The issue is not whether Mirzayev can be a lawyer; he can. But he cannot provide paid services to anyone outside his employer,” Hasanov wrote on Facebook.
He also cited internal ethics rules of the ministry, which require staff to refrain from outside activities without explicit approval from their leadership. Hasanov said Mirzayev himself admitted that he is defending Ahmadzada at the latter’s request, suggesting a paid arrangement.
Hasanov has sent formal appeals to the Prosecutor General, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, and the Minister of Labor, urging them to review the case.
“From a citizen’s perspective, the main issue is that a state employee who is paid from the public budget may be engaging in outside paid work. That undermines public trust and calls for accountability,” Hasanov said.
Azerbaijani authorities have not yet commented on the claims.
