A criminal case has been opened following information from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources about alleged illegal conduct by ministry officials. The case is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption General Directorate under the Prosecutor General.
The Prosecutor General’s Office press service provided the information to “Operative Information Center-OMM”.
Initial investigative and operational measures have raised reasonable suspicions that Fizuli Mammadov, who served as director of Regional Forestry Center No. 7 of the Ministry’s Forest Development Service in 2025-2026, and forester Vidadi Asgarov entered into a criminal agreement and received bribes of varying amounts in connection with leasing plots of land in forest areas.
Based on the evidence collected, Fizuli Mammadov and Vidadi Asgarov were charged under Articles 311.3.1, 311.3.2 and 311.3.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, concerning repeated large-scale bribery by a group acting in prior collusion. By court order, Mammadov was remanded in custody, while Asgarov was placed under house arrest as a primary preventive measure and suspended from his position as an additional measure. The measures were ordered at the request of the investigative body and on the motion of the prosecutor overseeing the preliminary investigation.
Necessary investigative and operational-search measures are continuing to establish the full scope of the alleged illegal activities and bring other individuals involved to criminal accountability.
