Ilgar Aliyev made his final speech at the hearing presided over by Judge Eldar Ismayilov.
Aliyev pleaded not guilty and said he had not committed any offence. “The prosecutor requested a 13-year sentence for me, despite my innocence. What can I say,” the NGO chairman said.
The jury went to the deliberation room and coming back they announced the judgment which sentenced Ilgar Aliyev to 12 years in prison.
Background: New Tomorrow NGO Chairman Ilgar Aliyev was charged with embezzlement racketeering, illegal possession of a weapon, and abuse of official powers after undeclared items were found in his baggage during security screening at Baku airport upon his return to the country via Moscow-Baku flight.
While the journalist was passing through the customs control, employees of the Main Air Transport Customs Office conducted X-ray scanning of his baggage, which screened images of metal items inside the luggage. Therefore, a repeat inspection was carried out, during which seven knives, a five-pointed throwing star, a camera-pen and camera-glasses were found, documented, and seized from among the personal items in Ilgar Aliyev’s suitcase. Aliyev said he had bought the items at a shop in Pattaya, Thailand. According to the opinion of the Forensic Examination Centre of the Ministry of Justice, 5 of the knives were steel, and the pen and glasses were designed for obtaining information secretly.