Azerbaijan: heads of CEM&DT and PAICV accused of embezzling funds of American NGO

The top officials of the Centre for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training (CEM&DT) and the Public Association for International Cooperation of Volunteers (PAICV) are suspected of embezzling the funds of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI). The lawyer of Anar Mamedli, one of the suspects, has stated the invalidity of the charges presented by the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan.

According to the press service of the GPO, the materials received from the Ministries of Finance and of Taxes Dues formed the grounds for launching the inquiry.

According to investigators, Anar Mamedli and Bashir Suleimanli, the head and the executive director of the CEM&DT, accordingly, in May 2012 agreed with Elnur Mamedov, the head of the PAICV, to register the latter NPO as a receiver of the grant received from the NDI in the amount of 276,010 US dollars.

Then, Suleimanli, who was appointed the Vice-President of the PAICV, managed to cash 163,250 US dollars received to the bank account of the PAICV.

This money was used to pay salaries to the officials of the CEM&DT, which is not a legal entity, the GPO asserts.

"The NDI expresses its deep concern over the arrest of Anar Mamedli, the head of the CEM&DT, and accusation of other employees of the CEM&DT and PAICV. These organizations, which organized election monitoring in accordance with the local legislation and the country's international obligations, contributed to democracy and development in Azerbaijan," says the statement the US National Democratic Institute.