Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. E.Javadova / The criminal trial of Azerbaijan's former Minister of Economic Development, Farhad Aliyev, his brother Rafik Aliyev, former President of the Azpetrol Group of Companies and seventeen other people, is continuing at the Court of Heinous Crimes presided by Judge Tofik Pashayev.
A petition from Mukhtar Mustafayev, R Aliyev's lawyer, submitted on 17 July, was discussed during the hearing. Mustafayev demanded the release of R Aliyev on bail due to unfounded charges against R Aliyev.
The decision of the court on R Aliyev is that he will remain in prison until he is proven innocent.
Pashayev noted that questioning of witnesses was impossible due to the absence of Elton Guliyev, the judge of F Aliyev. The adjournment was announced at 4pm.
F Aliyev and the other defendants are charged with illegal appropriation, tax evasion and a range of other crimes.