The trial on the appeal of businessman Ilgar Ismayilov began

Today, the Baku Court of Appeal held a preliminary hearing on the verdict appeal against the former owner of Azerbaijan's largest cosmetics chain the "Ideal", businessman Ilgar Ismayilov, and the prosecutor's office's appeal.

According to e-huquq.az, the defense side, consisting of I. Ismayilov's lawyers - Ilhama Hasanova, Shaig Mirzayev and Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, made some petition at the trial chaired by Judge Javid Huseyn. The defense side filed a petition to cancel the measure of restraint against I.Ismailov. The petition states that there are no procedural and material basis for I.Ismayilov's detention. In other words, Ilgar Ismayilov does not run away from the investigation, has a permanent residence, cannot put pressure on witnesses, and the amount of preliminary evidence is not enough to detain him. In addition, the defense side re-filed the petitions in the first instance court, which were rejected by the court without justification.

These petition were related to the court's examination of a memory card containing extracts from the financial transactions program presented to the court by the prosecution as evidence, conducting an accounting examination of the case (Although I. Ismayilov was accused of embezzlement, the prosecution did not conduct an expert examination or refer to the audit opinion), and determining whether the accounting expert had indeed embezzled the company.

At the same time, the investigation of materials conducted in 2017 on the same charges against Ilgar Ismayilov and the audit opinion in those materials was demanded in court, whether I.Ismayilov's other co-founder and his representative in the company made a profit from the company's income, whether I.Ismayilov knew about the amounts accused of embezzlement, and I. Ismayilov's petitions to approve the correspondence submitted to the court were rejected by the court without justification.

However, it told the defense side that they could re-file these petitions after hearing the arguments of the appeals.

Speaking at the court hearing, I. Ismayilov said he was a well-known entrepreneur engaged in entrepreneurial activities in the country. He has dedicated his entire life to the development of entrepreneurship, which plays an important role in the economic development of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the branding of the “Ideal” brand: “I love my country by heart. As an entrepreneur, I think that the current criminal case is an ugly slander against me. I sincerely expect justice from the court because I sincerely believe that I will achieve justice in my country."
A hearing is scheduled for April 19.

It should be noted that I.Ismayilov is accused of embezzlement. He was charged under Articles 179.3.2 and 308.2 of the Criminal Code.

The Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced I. Ismayilov to six years in prison.

It should be noted that, according to the defense side, I.Ismayilov was prosecuted for embezzlement in 2017 as a result of an inspection of the same company for the same period, which resulted in a decision to terminate the criminal prosecution. At present, the defense side claims that I. Ismayilov was prosecuted for the same act for the second time.