BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 8. The trial on the criminal case of Elshan Najafov, accused of attempted on the life of a state or public figure, has been completed, Trend reports.
According to information, the session was held in the Baku Court for Serious Crimes under the chairmanship of Judge Aytan Aliyeva.
Before making his last word, Elshan Najafov asked the court to remove the participants of the trial from the hall. Following the consultation, the court granted this request, and the final stage of the session was held in closed mode.
Subsequently, the court announced the verdict. According to the verdict, Elshan Najafov was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a high-security correctional facility.
Meanwhile, Najafov was detained in September 2023 during a special operation conducted by the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan.
The prosecution charges that he, having conspired with a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan living abroad, planned a terrorist attack at a public event. The target of the crime was foreign government officials, as well as state and public figures of Azerbaijan. The case materials contain audio recordings confirming Najafov's determination, which he shared with his accomplice. The latter, in particular, claimed that in case of death in the execution of the plan, Najafov would be considered a “martyr”.
However, owing to the timely actions of SSS officers, the crime plan was foiled, and Najafov was promptly detained.
He was charged under Articles 28 and 277 (preparation of an attempt on the life of a state or public figure), 214-2 (public calls to terrorism), 167-3.1 (production, storage or sale of religious extremist materials, i.e. materials calling for religious extremist activity or justifying such activity or justifying the need for such activity), as well as other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.