Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina Eldar Hasanov was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The verdict was announced at a hearing chaired by Baku Court of Grave Crimes Judge Afgan Hajiyev.

According to the verdict, several articles of his seized properties were confiscated.

It should be noted that the prosecutor demanded that Hasanov be sentenced to 11 years in prison.

According to the investigation, Hasanov Eldar served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Romania, the Republic of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in 2010-2020. He purchased new administrative buildings for embassies, as well as wasted and made misappropriation in connection with the repair and construction work, legalisation of funds in the amount of 11,156,716 euros. He is sentenced for committing fraud, causing significant damage to the legally protected interests of the state by abusing his official powers as an official, causing significant damage in the amount of 180,728 euros and used a significant amount of 101,761 euros from the state budget with reasonable suspicions that the funds were not used for their intended purpose.

Therefore, Hasanov was charged under Article 179.3.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (embezzlement or embezzlement in large amounts), 193-1.3.2 (legalisation of criminally obtained money or other property in large amounts) Abuse, causing grave consequences was charged under Articles 308-1.1 (misuse of state budget funds) and 313 (forgery).

The criminal case against other participants in the crimes against whom Hasanov was jointly charged is being investigated separately.

Speaking in court, Eldar Hasanov said that in February 2019, he officially submitted information about the sale of weapons from Serbia to Armenia to the Foreign Ministry: "I have proved it with facts. I presented it to the ministry. Apparently, some people did not like my action and presented it to the president in a different way."

In his last words, Eldar Hasanov said that he was "offended by President Ilham Aliyev." But he added that he would not betray him: "I can be offended by him, but I will not betray him. Even if it is decided to destroy me physically, what I know will go to the grave with me."