The Baku Court of Grave Crimes has continued the judicial proceedings regarding the criminal case of a fatal fire that occurred at the Republican Perinatal Center in Baku.
Operative Information Center-OMM, citing Report, informs that the defendants in the case include the former director of the center, Mehriban Abasquliyeva, and department heads Hamlet Mustafayev and Elnur Ahmadov.
During the session presided over by Judge Leyla Asgarova-Mammadova, Aqshin Samadov, a senior inspector of the State Fire Control Service, testified as a witness. He stated that fire safety inspections had been conducted at the center until June 2023, noting that such inspections are typically carried out during the first quarter of the year.
The witness noted in his testimony:
"Theoretical training on fire safety was conducted for the staff in the center's assembly hall. Information was provided on how and from where evacuations should be carried out during a fire. Night inspections regarding fire safety were also performed. When deficiencies were discovered during inspections, protocols were drawn up, and in some cases, fines were applied. However, during my tenure, no situation occurred that required the case to be referred to court."
The lawyer for former director Mehriban Abasquliyeva filed a motion during the hearing, requesting that the medical staff involved in transferring infants to other hospitals during the fire be called as witnesses. The lawyer claimed that although the infants were taken to the Clinical Medical Center, doctors were not allowed to see them and medical assistance was not provided, which allegedly resulted in the loss of some infants' lives. The court denied the motion. The next hearing is scheduled for February 4.
The fire at the Republican Perinatal Center, a key maternity and neonatal facility in Azerbaijan, occurred in early 2024, leading to a significant investigation into safety protocols and administrative oversight. The Republican Perinatal Center is one of the primary state-run medical institutions in Baku specializing in high-risk pregnancies and neonatal care. This trial is part of a broader effort by Azerbaijani authorities to ensure accountability in public health infrastructure and to enforce strict adherence to fire safety regulations across the country.
