On 8 March 2024, the BMGPD officially charged Mr Zeynalov with conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling under Section 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code and served him with an arraignment. According to the arraignment, Mr Zeynalov was charged with the following:

1. Smuggling (conspired beforehand with co-conspirators)

a) acting with the intention of greed and the purpose of gaining illicit income, conspired beforehand with co-conspirators [their names were mentioned above] and other persons (qeyriləri) whose identities were sought under preliminary investigation, unlawfully to transport a significant amount (xeyli miqdarda) of foreign currency to [Azerbaijan];

b) committed bulk cash smuggling that obtained currency in foreign countries, whose source is unknown to the preliminary investigation currently, at different dates, including 2023-2024, upon returning from various foreign trips to [Azerbaijan], either by evading customs control or misusing fraudulent documents or customs identification means or violating financial reporting requirements (either not declaring or wrongly declaring);

c) With other co-conspirators, they divided these among themselves and conducted various financial transactions, thus gaining considerable [illicit] income totalling 123.048,96 AZN.

Legal Proceedings

On 08 March 2024, the prosecution authorities applied to the Khatai District Court to remand Mr Zeynalov in custody, citing the gravity of the offences and the risk of him absconding or obstructing the investigation. By a decision of 8 March 2024, the Khatai District Court ordered Mr Zeynalov’s remand in custody for four months (until 6 July 2024), endorsing the remand application. 

Mr Zeynalov appealed against the detention order. On 14 March 2024, the Baku Appeal Court dismissed the appeal.

The prosecution applied to the Khatai District Court requesting an extension of the his remand in custody. The reasoning for the extension application was the same reasoning of the remand application and added an extension of the preliminary investigation period including potential new charges against Mr Zeynalov.

On 03 July 2024, the Khatai District Court granted an extension of the remand in custody application, citing, inter alia, potential new charges against Mr Zeynalov for four months by 06 October 2024.

Mr Zeynalov appealed the district court’s extension order, relying on the absence of an objective basis for the extension. On 08 July 2024, the Baku Appeal Court dismissed the appeal, endorsing the reasoning of the first-instance court.