Baku: Officials from several non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan have been implicated in a criminal case for illegally producing and distributing orders and medals, as reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office to APA. The Chief Department for Combating Corruption is currently conducting a preliminary investigation into the matter.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, the investigation has revealed that officials from various NGOs, including the ‘Azerbaijan Karabakh War Disabled, Veterans and Families of Martyrs’, ‘Azerbaijan Homeland War Veterans’, and the ‘Protection of Families of Martyrs, Disabled and War Veterans’, among others, have exceeded their official powers. These organizations allegedly violated Azerbaijani legislation by establishing and distributing state-like honors, which are legally reserved as state awards for citizens with special services.
The law ‘On the Establishment of Orders and Medals of the Republic of Azerbaijan’ prohibits NGOs from creating or distributing any forms of state awards. Despite this, it is suspected that these organizations issued numerous orders, medals, and badges to individuals, sometimes in exchange for compensation.
The investigation uncovered significant evidence, including 1,518 orders and medals, 777 certificates for these awards, and records indicating they were presented to over 8,000 individuals. As a result, charges under Article 309.1 of the Criminal Code, concerning the exceeding of official powers, have been filed against Sayyaf Orujov, Mehdi Mehdiyev, and Fuzuli Rzaguliyev, leaders of the implicated NGOs. These individuals are currently under police supervision as the investigation continues.
The authorities are extending their investigation to other NGO officials suspected of similar misconduct. Measures are being implemented to enhance legal compliance and address the systemic issues that allowed such violations to occur.
In a related development, police detained Fuzuli Rzaguliyev, Eldar Ismayilov, and Rasim Mammadov, leaders of other implicated organizations, following the discovery of over 1,500 counterfeit medals and related documents. These items were seized as evidence, and a criminal case concerning forgery and unauthorized distribution of state symbols is ongoing. Investigative efforts continue to address the extent of the illegal activities and hold accountable those responsible.