“Tolishi-Sado editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov is facing new charges under Articles 274 (treason) and 283.2.2 (inciting national, racial, social and religious hatred, hostility and ethnic discrimination),”  reported Mammadov’s lawyer Anar Gasimli.

“On July 3rd I, along with the investigator, met with Hilal Mammadov. He said that all the charges against him are trumped-up and that he would not give testimony to the investigation team” noted Gasimli adding that the criminal case launched against Hilal Mammadov by the Nizami District Prosecutor’s Office has been transferred to the Department for Grave Crimes under the General Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the official charge, Mammadov was attracted to cooperation with the intelligence agency of a foreign country, and carried out the activity against the security and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The investigation revealed that Mamedov was recruited in 1992 by an officer of the Iranian secret service, Abdol Hamzali oglu, and taking advantage of the journalist profession and the head of the Cultural Center, Mammadov worked against Azerbaijan in exchange for material compensation.

By the order of the Iranian secret services Mammadov collected and transmitted information, established the contacts of carriers of this information with those secret service agencies, and committed treason. At the conferences in Iran, in an interview with Iranian television "Seher-2" and in his books Mammadov  used disrespectful remarks about the history, culture and traditions of the national minorities, openly inciting inter-ethnic animosity and hatred.

Tolishi-Sado newspaper editor-in-chief Hilal Mammadov was arrested on June 21st. Nizami District Police Office has launched a criminal case against Mammadov under Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code (illegal manufacture, purchase, storage, transfer, transport or sale of drugs in a large quantity). Under this Article Mammadov could face confiscation of his property and imprisonment for up to 12 years. On June 22nd, Nizami District Court sentenced Hilal Mammadov to 3 months of pre-trial detention. He is currently being held in Baku Investigative Prison.