Law enforcers see "evidence" in photo of Hajiyev with Clinton? /UPDATED/

Baku/06.06.23/Turan: By midday on 6 June, searches had been completed at the flat of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev in Baku, as well as at his parents home in Ganja and his brother' in the town of Goygol.

A computer and documents were seized from Hajiyev's flat.

"The court ruling on the search-seizure revealed that the investigation would look for documents and a computer. There are issues that displeased the defence and we will take appropriate legal steps," lawyer Javad Javadov told the Turan news agency.

According to him, so far no new charges have been brought against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev".

Another lawyer Elchin Sadigov believes that the searches were carried out due to Hajiyev's human rights' activities.

"On 28 June, the term of investigation of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev ends, so the investigation wants to extend this period of arrest in order to bring a new serious charge against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. Now they are busy looking for something that will give such an opportunity," said lawyer Sadigov.

The activist's brother Vugar Hajiyev told Turan that searches were carried out this morning at his home in Goygol town and their parental home in Ganja.

"My house was searched for two hours. They were looking for documents related to Bakhtiar, disks, flash cards. I said I had nothing of the kind. After that they took away our family photo, as well as a photo of Bakhtiar with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taken in Baku in 2011," Vugar Hajiyev said.

He noted that his lawyer was not present during the search.

"They brought two witnesses with them. I have seen these people as witnesses in other court cases," Vugar Hajiyev said.  According to him, disks with photos were also seized from his parents' house.

Human rights activist Rufat Safarov, commenting on these searches, regarded them as an unwillingness of the authorities to release Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, but rather to put him away for a long time.

"Bakhtiyar has already been in jail for 7 months and under the current charges he faces up to 3 years of imprisonment. But apparently the authorities want to put him away for even longer and that's why they're expanding the charges," Safarov said. To his thinking, now the activist will be charged with tax evasion.

"This is a ruthless act of the government's revenge against the social activist. The reason is his criticism of the authorities. This criminal prosecution will further enhance the political nature of the case," the human rights activist believes. -03D06-

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2023 June 06 (Tuesday) 11:36:54

Searches in flats of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and his relatives. New charges against him

Baku/06.06.23/Turan: Searches in the flat of the arrested social activist Bakhtiar Hajiyev in Baku, at his parents' house in Ganja, as well as in the flats of his brother and friends started on 6 June. His lawyer Elchin Sadygov told Turan.

The searches were sanctioned by Khatai district judge of Baku Fuad Akhundov," the lawyer added.

"However, no justification for "search and seizure" was provided. Although according to the law, there should be a justification for the search and on what criminal case.

Bakhtiyar Hajiyev is accused of hooliganism and contempt of court.  However, the law does not provide for search measures related to these charges.

In all probability, Hajiyev is going to face new charges," Sadygov continued.

Another lawyer, Javad Javadov, told Turan that during the search "the investigation is interested in documents and electronic media".

In turn, Ibrahim Amiraslanly, an official of the Interior Ministry press service, told Turan that "the search in the flat where Bakhtiyar Hajiyev resides was conducted as a part of the investigative actions in the criminal case." "There are no detainees," Amiraslanly said.

**Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested on December 9 last year on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. On the same day, the Khatai district court sentenced him to 1 month and 20 days of imprisonment.

On 9 January 2023, the Court of Appeal refused to release him and he resumed his hunger strike. On 21 January, the court extended his detention for one month, and on 23 February for two more months.

On February 28, the 51st day of his hunger strike, Hajiyev ended his hunger strike.

Representatives of the US State Department, the US Senate, the European Union, the Council of Europe and several international NGOs repeatedly demanded that Hajiyev be released from prison. -03B06-