Afət Ziyadqızı
New details have emerged about Sevil Ismayilova, head of the Sharq-Gharb publishing house, whose name appears in the criminal case against former Presidential Administration chief Ramiz Mehdiyev, who was sentenced by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes to 14 years’ imprisonment, suspended.
“Operativ Məlumat Mərkəzi-OMM” reports, citing gununsesi.info, that the former Presidential Administration chief used Ismayilova to convey his writings to senior Russian officials.
Case materials specifically name Ismayilova in connection with the printing of a document containing proposals on transforming Azerbaijan’s state administration system and its delivery to the Russian side.
In his testimony, Mehdiyev said a manuscript he had prepared set out political and administrative problems Azerbaijan had faced over the previous five years, the situation in the country and its future prospects.
The investigation materials include the following excerpt from his testimony:
“I remember the contents of the manuscript. I personally began preparing it about a month before August. I entrusted Sevil Ismayilova with printing the manuscript.”
Mehdiyev said the document was primarily intended for Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. According to the case materials, Ismayilova was instructed to deliver the manuscript to him through Rashad Gurbanov, a deputy of Sergey Naryshkin.
The document was also intended to be sent to other senior Russian officials.
The case materials also detail a telephone conversation between Mehdiyev and Ismayilova. The document says that during the call, Mehdiyev asked her to send Gurbanov the document he had prepared, titled “Proposals for transforming the state administration system in Azerbaijan.”
They also discussed preparing two copies of the document.
The investigation materials highlight the following remark by Ismayilova during the call:
“I told him there would be two copies, one for one person and the other for someone else.”
