Mehriban Rahimli testifies in court in the NGO case

Mehriban Rahimli, one of the defendants in the so-called “NGO case” and a former Azerbaijan advisor to the German Marshall Fund of the United States, testified at the Baku Grave Crimes Court on April 27.

She is among approximately 15 civil society representatives who have been prosecuted as part of an investigation launched early last year by the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office into the activities of local and international organizations.

Rahimli has been charged under Articles 193-1.3.2 (legalization of property obtained through criminal means, on a large scale), 308 (abuse of official authority), and 313 (official forgery) of the Criminal Code.

In her testimony, Rahimli rejected all charges as unfounded. She began by providing detailed information about her education and professional background. According to her, she has been working with international organizations since 2005. She served as a researcher at the Heinrich Böll Foundation in 2005–2006, worked as a public advocacy manager at the international humanitarian organization World Vision in 2007–2008, and since November 2008 has been working as an advisor to the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Azerbaijan.

Following her statement, Rahimli answered questions from the state prosecutor.

The next court hearing is scheduled for May 18.