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Azerbaijani media ran information about Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, issuing a decree to dismiss the Tax Minister Fazil Mammadov, Istiqlal.az reports, according to Minval.az.
Reportedly, Ilham Aliyev signed the decree before attending the G20 summit in Antalya.
Minval.az points out that the dismissals of the Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov and Minister of Communications and High Technologies Ali Abbasov, as well as the new wave of anti-corruption arrests drew the public attention to the team in authority. The ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP), however, which won in recent parliamentary elections, cannot really explain to the society what is going on because of possessing minimal levers of influence.
“They realise that in the light of the oil revenue cuts, difficulties in the economics management, increase of the social problems, parting of the ways with the West in many issues, Russia’s wiles against Azerbaijan, such changes are very dangerous. Apparently, that is the reason why the ruling party shifts all the responsibility onto the president Ilham Aliyev waiting with anxiety for the end of the process. Still, this is only the beginning,” Minval.az writes.
The website also cites Qaynar.info reporting that the former Security Minister Elmar Mahmudov received expensive gifts, villas, houses and even palaces in exchange of various services. A while ago, information leaked about the MP Shamsaddin Hajiyev giving many flats in three new multistory buildings to Mahmudov and a person standing close to him. A few years ago, the chief executive of Sumgayit built a villa looking like a general’s cap for the former minister. According to a source, the construction cost 4 million manats.

Citing Baku.ws, Minval.az reports that a new malware has recently gone viral in Facebook infecting the computer immediately as the user attempts to open an attached file. The programme in an archived file named ‘eldar-mahmudov-hebs-senedi’ is embedded into the system like an average Trojan virus trying to gain access to the account of the social network to further a similar file to others. Free antiviruses fail or face difficulties in detecting the malware.

APA news agency reports that the chief of the Main Department for Transport and Energetics Security of the Ministry of National Security (MNS) of Azerbaijan, Major General Akif Chovdarov, was arrested and will be imprisoned for three months on Sabail District Court’s decision. 

Turan news agency learnt about a search conducted in former Security Minister’s villa in Badamdar settlement, where great valuables and cash money were confiscated. “The scale of the arrests and the serious charges imply that a real organised criminal group operated inside the system of national security. Remarkably, the group had ties with other similar but smaller organised criminal groups, which operate in state agencies as well,” the agency notes.

Citing law enforcement agencies’ information, Haqqin.az reports that 30 cardboard boxes filled with dollar banknotes and other foreign currency, as well as kilos of brilliants in glass jars were found in Mahmudov’s Badamdar residence. According to preliminary information, the former minister did not manage to take the valuables out of the country because of the unexpected dismissal, and the State Protection Service and Prosecutor General’s Office carried out such a quick and secret special operation of neutralising Mahmudov and Chovdarov’s criminal gang, that they had not time to conceal the traces. The website points out that the amount of the confiscated valuables and financial flaws assumes that Mahmudov accumulated enormous financial resources and sent them abroad monthly and that what the law enforcement agencies confiscated what only a small part of the theft. 

Moreover, the website reports that all the lawyers, who had protected the rights of the Security Ministry jail detainees, stated in unison that any criminal case carried out at the ministry could be suspended for a bribe set by Eldar Mahmudov, with the exception of the politically motivated cases. All of the interrogated lawyers – 30 of them in total, according to the website – confirmed that a cancellation of a warrant for arrest cost from 300 to 350 thousand dollars at average.

Meanwhile, Minval.az cites Lenta.az reporting that the deputy minister of National Security, Lieutenant General Hilal Asadov, was dismissed on a presidential order. APA agency cites official law enforcement agencies reporting another dismissal: Ilham Aliyev fired the deputy Minister of National Security, Major General Elchin Aliyev. Trend reports that the investigation carried out by the Main Anti-Corruption Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan found out that the officials of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies appropriated about 95 million manats (≈$90.4 million).

Haqqin.az highlights that the investigation of the case of Carpet Museum’s stolen rugs is pending because of the events around the Security Ministry, which was in charge for it. Asya Shiraliyeva, the vice director of the museum, says various falsifications have been underway there since the times of the Popular Front Party’s rule. She says the old exhibits of the museum were replaced with new ones, and the stolen rugs were taken abroad. She claims no serious inventory has been conducted in the museum for the 32 years Professor Roya Tagiyeva, Doctor of History of Art, has been a director there. This contributed to the unpunished embezzlements and machinations with the valuables. The vice director believes thorough checks will expose numerous falsifications and forgeries.

Haqqin.az reports that an investigation of the relations between the Security and Communication ministries in underway. Besides, an enhancement of the communications in the Defence Ministry is noticeable. “Apparently, serious shortcomings and yet another failure of information security have been found. The Communication Ministry possibly plays a great role in providing this security, even greater than the Security Ministry does,” the website points out and notes that it is no wonder that Ali Abbasov was interrogated for hours at the Anti-Corruption Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Haqqin.az also published an article about the convicts of the case of the so-called ‘Said Dadashbeyli’ group, accused of carrying out a revolution. The special forces of the Anti-Terrorism Department arrested about 30 young men in different places. Those people were reportedly accused of carrying out a revolution rather than a preparation or attempt of it. The crime is punished under the Article 278 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, which implies illegal capture of power, illegal deduction of power, change of the political system and change of the Constitution.

The website highlights that no one was aware of any illegal captures of power taking place in 2006 and 2007 in the country. The investigation and court materials also lack either dates or description of events around the revolution. “A closed trail was conducted. Neither the press, nor observers from public organisations, nor family members were allowed to enter the courtroom. The court did not investigate the events around the crime, nor did it study the material evidence,” the website points out. Moreover, various books were confiscated from some flats during the investigation. The books, submitted to examination, were published officially and could be bought freely. They were not prohibited either before the trial, or after it.

Three of the group were sentenced in accord with the article on High Treason based on the allegation that they had met unidentified representatives of Iranian special services, on whose instruction they were supposed to provide information about the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, which was under construction at the time. Two of those young people were reportedly going to obtain the information from the Internet, still they neither collected nor sent it, while the third one was just aware of that. The court sentenced them to 12-14 years in colonies of strict regime. Meanwhile, the Security Ministry circulated information through the media about allegedly neutralising and convicting a dangerous gang, which was preparing subversive activities under the leadership of the Iranian Special Services. The mention about the special services of the neighbouring country, however, caused a diplomatic scandal and Iran demanded proofs, which did not exist.

Haqqin.az highlights that those, who made up, elaborated and realised the case receiving awards, promotions, salary increases and bonus payments for that, already face investigation. Still those behind bars because of their criminal activity, continue serving their terms.

On 17 October 2015, President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a decree to dismiss the Minister of National Security, Eldar Mahmudov Ahmad oglu, from his post. Reportedly, an investigation revealed that a group of high-ranking officials had been engaged in criminal actions against entrepreneurs for a long period and gained millions. The activities of the Azerbaijani business elite and well-known representatives of medium-sized business were surveilled with audio spying equipment on Minister Eldar Makhmudov’s order. The MNS generals took an active part in the process. Later, discrediting material was specially filed against those businesspersons, and consequently, the snatch squad of the MNS conducted illegal arrests of businesspeople on the leadership’s order.

Vidadi Zeynalov, the head of the office of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies, was arrested and Beytullah Huyseynov, former CEO of the Baku Telephone Connection ltd, was detained in connection with the case. On 12 November 2015, Ali Abbasov, the Minister of Communications and High Technologies, was dismissed on a presidential order.

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