Former head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev has been brought to criminal responsibility, and a pre-trial detention measure of 4 months of house arrest has been chosen against him.
In the Main Investigation Department of the State Security Service, charges of treason (Article 274 of the Criminal Code), forcible seizure of power or forcible retention of power (Article 278), as well as legalization of criminally obtained funds (Article 193-1) have been brought against Mehdiyev.
The issue of Ramiz Mehdiyev's relations with opposition political forces is being widely discussed at the present moment.
The founder of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party (AMIP), well-known political figure Etibar Mammadov spoke to Modern.az regarding Ramiz Mehdiyev's arrest.
He noted that his relations with Ramiz Mehdiyev were cold:
“The reasons for my relations with him not being warm are also known. It was always Ramiz Mehdiyev who created obstacles to the formation of political parties and a normal political system in Azerbaijan. He himself managed the system. A normal political party system could not be established. Officials carried out all these steps based on the scheme created by Ramiz Mehdiyev. It can be said that Ramiz Mehdiyev controlled everything. Therefore, our relations were not very warm; it can even be said that our relations were cold”.
E. Mammadov said the following regarding Ramiz Mehdiyev being brought to responsibility precisely now:
“I cannot state the reason for this. Apparently, the relevant authorities had some serious grounds to bring him to criminal responsibility in this manner, under several serious articles. Among them, the most serious is the issue of treason. The accusation of a person who has been second in the country's governance for the last 30 years in Azerbaijan in this manner is not a very pleasant thing for the state. Apparently, the relevant authorities have very serious grounds to have publicly announced the matter concerning him. It is no secret that Ramiz Mehdiyev had connections with Moscow, was an admirer of the Russian system, and the author of a format of the Soviet system adapted to the new era. However, treason and an attempt at a coup d'état are extremely serious matters for a person of this age”.
Regarding whether Ramiz Mehdiyev had influence on some opposition forces, he said the following:
“I cannot accuse anyone of that. However, Ramiz Mehdiyev is the author of the political system being brought to a dead state in Azerbaijan. This is no secret to anyone. Who was in contact with him, and other matters, will come to light during investigations. And if they deem it necessary, they will make it public. If they do not deem it necessary, or if it is not in the government's interest, they will not make it public”.
