Eldar Hasanov dismissed from post as ambassador

Eldar Humbat Hasanov has been recalled from the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with residence in Belgrade.

Farhad Mollazadeh, head of the Affairs Department and Tender Commission of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Faig Bagirov, head of the Consular Department, and others were prosecuted for abuse of office, embezzlement, and bribery. They got arrested on the criminal case initiated by the State Security Service (SSS) in connection with the abuse of power by some officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the commission of acts that cause significant harm to the legally protected interests of the state.

During the ongoing criminal investigation, new information was obtained on the misappropriation of state budget funds allocated for the Ministry's activities. Based on the collected materials, an inspection of a complex financial and economic activity was appointed. 

In the financial audits, ambassador Eldar Hasanov established reasonable suspicions that a large number of budget funds were not used for its intended purpose. Eldar Hasanov was detained as a suspect during the investigation.

The criminal case is under investigation.

Eldar Hasanov was remanded in custody by the Sabail District Court under Articles 308.2 (abuse of power) and 308-1.1 (misuse of the state budget, special-purpose budget funds, or extra-budgetary state funds) of the Criminal Code.