This week, a German court sentenced former Bundestag member Eduard Lintner to a suspended prison term for bribery linked to Azerbaijan, the key accuser in Azer Gasimli’s trial testified in court, and Russia issued a search warrant for Azerbaijani diaspora leader Shahin Shikhlinski following a deadly police operation in Yekaterinburg.
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Eduard Lintner receives 9-month suspended sentence for bribery linked to Azerbaijan
On July 30, the Munich Higher Regional Court found former German lawmaker Eduard Lintner guilty of bribing officials in the so-called “Azerbaijan affair.” The court sentenced Lintner to nine months of suspended imprisonment after a months-long trial.
The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office accused Lintner of channeling Azerbaijani funds to bribe other officials, aiming to secure pro-Azerbaijan votes in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Between 2008 and 2016, Lintner reportedly received nearly €4 million via intermediary companies connected to Azerbaijan.
A former state secretary, Lintner served in the Bundestag for 33 years and was a PACE member until 2010.
The scandal also implicated other politicians, including the late Karin Strenz, a Bundestag MP from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and known supporter of Azerbaijan. Strenz had voted against a report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan and passed away in March 2021.
Azer Gasimli’s trial continues as reported victim testifies
On July 30, the Baku Grave Crimes Court held another session in the trial of political scientist and director of the Institute for Political Management, Azer Gasimli. He was arrested on December 8, 2024, and charged under Article 182.2.3 of the Criminal Code (extortion involving threats or force).
Gasimli maintains that the case is politically motivated and claims the charges are fabricated.
During the hearing, presided over by Judge Telman Huseynov, the victim, Gurbanali Yusifov, gave testimony. Yusifov, who is involved in cryptocurrency trading, stated that he and Gasimli initially met through the REAL Party and later went into business together. He claimed that after a financial loss in a joint crypto venture, Gasimli threatened him and coerced him into signing a statement acknowledging a $45,000 debt.
He further claimed that Gasimli threatened his family and child, leading him to flee the country.
However, previous court proceedings have revealed that Yusifov had acknowledged the debt in both Mingachevir and Sheki courts. Gasimli’s lawyer, Agil Layij, stated that a civil court had already ruled in Gasimli’s favor, though the decision was later overturned for jurisdictional reasons and transferred to a commercial court.
The hearing has been postponed to September 10 after Yusifov requested time for his new lawyer to review the case materials.
Azerbaijani diaspora leader wanted by Russian authorities
Russian police have issued an official search warrant for Shahin Shikhlinski, a prominent Azerbaijani diaspora leader based in the Ural region.
According to a statement released by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs on July 30, Shikhlinski is wanted under an unspecified article of the Russian Criminal Code. The charges are believed to be linked to a broader investigation into unresolved murders in Yekaterinburg.
Shikhlinski was initially detained on July 1 after Russian special forces conducted a high-profile operation targeting Azerbaijani nationals in the city. The operation, carried out near the Baku Plaza shopping center, resulted in two deaths and multiple arrests. Shikhlinski and his son were stopped while driving a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. He was briefly detained for questioning and then released.
His son, Mutavalli Shikhlinski, was later arrested on July 16 and charged under Article 318.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (use of force against a law enforcement officer).
The incident has heightened tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan. Russian authorities have yet to disclose further details regarding the charges or investigation.
The post Friday Wrap-up: Former German MP sentenced for Azerbaijan bribery case, political scientist Azer Gasimli’s accuser testifies in court, and Azerbaijani diaspora leader wanted in Russia appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
