Azerbaijani activist Rahimli stated that the evidence against her is unfounded.

Mehriban Rahimli insisted on the full indictment being read at her trial, casting doubt on the evidence collected by the investigation.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the trial of Mehriban Rahimli, accused of illegally receiving grants, began in Baku in February. She denied the charges, stating that she had been receiving a salary from a foreign NGO for 17 years, paid in accordance with Azerbaijani law. Rahimli, who is under police surveillance, faces charges of "large-scale laundering of criminally obtained property," "abuse of office," and "official forgery." She is being prosecuted in the so-called case against local and foreign NGOs, investigated by the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan.

Yesterday, February 25, the trial of Rahimli began at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes. "The indictment was read out. For exactly one hour, the state prosecutor monotonously read out, one by one, all the amounts from my salary transferred to the International Bank of Azerbaijan since 2008, from which I paid taxes and other mandatory payments. My lawyer suggested not listening to the reading of the indictment and accepting it as read out loud, as permitted by law," Rahimli told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

However, she disagreed with her lawyer's proposal. "I said: let those present here, journalists, and diplomats, see and hear the vile acts committed in the name of the state within the walls of the courthouse." "The time allotted for the reading of the indictment at yesterday's hearing was insufficient, and the prosecutor's presentation will be continued at the next hearing," Ragimova said.

The activist stated that at the next hearing, after the indictment is read, she will testify and essentially refute the charges brought against her and demonstrate the inconsistency of the evidence presented against her.

She called the investigation's findings absurd. "As stated in the indictment, I caused 'massive damage to the country's investment environment,'" Ragimova remarked ironically.

An employee of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes confirmed to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that prosecutor Suleyman Hasanov has issued an indictment and the reading of the document will continue at the next hearing.

A lawyer familiar with Rahimli's case declared the charges unfounded. "Mehriban Rahimli was merely an employee of the foundation and received a salary. She is accused of laundering nearly $400,000 over the course of 15 years. This is approximately $26,000 per year, or just over $2,000 per month. This is the salary received by employees of international organizations in Azerbaijan. What kind of grants are these? Therefore, the accusations of money laundering are unfounded. Unfortunately, such arbitrary charges have been brought against approximately one and a half activists," said the source, who did not wish to be named.