SHAMKIR, July 17 — A man convicted of committing lewd acts against a 13-year-old girl in Shamkir has been released following a decision by the Ganja Court of Appeal.
According to Oxu.Az, the incident took place in the city of Shamkir. Elchin Mammadov (surname changed), born in 2002, reportedly met the girl, born in 2010, and the two began communicating over the phone.
After some time, they agreed to meet in person. Mammadov ordered a taxi, picked the girl up, and took her to a local café called “Annenfeld.” After the meeting, he arranged for a taxi to take her home.
The girl’s relatives later became aware of the meeting and reported the incident to the police. A criminal investigation was launched, and Mammadov was arrested. The Shamkir District Court sentenced him to two years and six months in prison.
However, Mammadov appealed the verdict. The Ganja Court of Appeal reviewed the case and amended the original ruling. Citing Article 70 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, the appellate court handed down a suspended two-year sentence, allowing Mammadov to be released from the courtroom.
The decision has sparked debate, as cases involving minors and sexual misconduct remain a sensitive issue in Azerbaijan, where concerns about leniency and judicial consistency are frequently raised by child rights advocates. .
As Azerbaijan continues to face scrutiny over the protection of vulnerable groups, this case has reignited debate about the gap between legal statutes and judicial outcomes—particularly in cases where children’s safety is at stake.
No official comment has been made by the judiciary regarding the rationale behind the sentence reduction
