BAKU, August 4, 2025 — Anar Abdullayev, a co-defendant in the high-profile case involving Anar Mammadli, head of the Democracy Monitoring and Training Center, was taken into custody directly from the courtroom during a hearing at the Baku Serious Crimes Court.
According to Report.az, the public prosecutor requested Abdullayev’s arrest, citing his failure to comply with procedural conditions. The court granted the motion, and he was immediately detained in the courtroom.
Following the arrest, the indictment was read aloud. Both Mammadli and Abdullayev pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The next court hearing is scheduled for September 22.
Mammadli, a prominent civil society figure, was arrested in April 2024 and has remained in pre-trial detention. Abdullayev, who was also charged in the same case, had previously been released under police supervision pending trial.
They face multiple serious charges under the Azerbaijani Criminal Code, including:
Article 192.3.2 (illegal business activities),
Articles 193-1.3.1 and 193-1.3.2 (legalization of criminally obtained property),
Article 206.4 (smuggling),
Article 213.2.1 (tax evasion),
and Articles 320.1 and 320.2 (forgery and use of fake documents).
The case has drawn criticism from local and international rights groups, who view it as part of a broader crackdown on independent civil society in Azerbaijan.
