Farid Mehralizade - an Economic Expert Date of arrest: 30 May 2024 Charge: Article 206.4 (Smuggling, committed by the organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 7 August, 2024, the accused were brought additional charges under the Articles 192.3.2 (Illegal business, committed with gaining an extra large-scale income); 193-1.3.1 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed by an organized group or a criminal organization (criminal association); 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed in large amount); 213.2.1 (Evasion from payment of taxes, committed by the organized group); 320.1 (Fake of certificate or other official document giving the rights or releasing from duties, with a view of its use or selling of such document, as well as manufacturing in same purposes or selling of counterfeit state awards of the Azerbaijan Republic, stamps, seals, forms) and 320.2 (Use of obviously counterfeit documents) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 1 June 2024, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Farid Mehralizade in the form of arrest for a period of 3 months and 20 days. The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended times Sentence: On 20 June 2025, the Baku City Court for Serious Crimes sentenced to 9 years in prison Judge: Rasim Sadikhov Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: On 30 March 2024, Farid Mehralizade, an expert in Economy, was detained by the Baku City Main Police Department (MPD) police officers while he was on his way to work. According to his wife Nargiz Mukhtarova, her husband was subjected to ill-treatment, the policemen put a bag over his head. Initially, the Interior Ministry officers denied the fact of his detention. Later, it became known that the police brought F.Mehralizade home where they conducted a search in his presence, after which they took him back to the MPD. At that point he was told to be charged in the case against the employees of the Abzas Media online publication. At the hearing at the Baku City Khatai District Court Farid Mehralizade stated that he is innocent and had no business relations with Abzas Media. The economist also claimed that he had been physically attacked at the time of detention. 70