In Germany, the trial of former Bundestag member Aksel E. Fischer, accused of accepting bribes from the Azerbaijani government, has been postponed once again. The 59-year-old politician is alleged to have received payments from Baku while serving as a member of parliament. The trial is to be held at the Higher Regional Court of Munich.
İttihama görə, Xristian-Demokrat İttifaqını təmsil edən Fişer Bundestaq üzvü olduğu dövrdə Azərbaycan maraqlarını müdafiə etmək və parlamAccording to the indictment, Fischer, who represented the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), allegedly accepted €21,800 in bribes from the Azerbaijani government in 2016 in exchange for promoting Azerbaijan’s interests and making favorable statements about Baku in the Bundestag. Given that the statute of limitations for such offenses is ten years, it would expire in 2026.
The hearing was postponed this time because Fischer’s wife failed to appear in court. The Higher Regional Court announced that the next session is scheduled for October 20.
Fischer denies the charges, claiming that all of his actions were legitimate lobbying activities. His case was initially handled together with that of former MP Eduard Lintner, but due to Fischer’s repeated absences from hearings on health grounds, it was separated. Lintner, who admitted to the charges, received a nine-month suspended sentence in July.
The anti-corruption organization Transparency Deutschland has warned that because of the repeated delays, the bribery allegations risk becoming time-barred. Representatives of the organization emphasized the importance of strengthening international law enforcement cooperation.
Although the investigation into Fischer began in January 2025, his repeated illness-related absences caused delays, leading judges in April to separate his case from that of Eduard Lintner. Like Fischer, Lintner had been accused of “bribery of mandate holders.”
The 80-year-old Lintner, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), was found guilty of receiving bribes from Azerbaijan. In July, he was sentenced to nine months on probation. Lintner denied wrongdoing, arguing that his actions amounted to lobbying, and he has appealed the verdict.
Another former German MP from the Christian Democratic Union, Karin Strenz, was also accused in a related case of accepting bribes. The court concluded that she had received €111,000 from the Azerbaijani government. Since Strenz passed away in 2021, her husband will be responsible for repaying the amount.
The trial of Aksel Fischer is set to resume on October 20, and the proceedings are expected to conclude by the end of January 2026.
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