Five years after the assassination attempt against Məhəmməd Mirzəli, an Azerbaijani blogger who received political asylum in France, a criminal trial opened on May 26 at the Rennes Criminal Court.
Məhəmməd Mirzəli told Qəzetçi that during the proceedings, one of the defendants made a confession that played a significant role in the opening of the criminal case.
Specifically, Andrey Topal — who was arrested on a Moldovan passport — stated that he is an Azerbaijani citizen and that his real name is Emin Qasımov. The judge issued a special ruling recognizing that the person recorded as Andrey Topal during detention and the preliminary investigation is in fact known as Emin Qasımov.
In his testimony, Qasımov stated that he had injured Məhəmməd Mirzəli with a razor blade, not a knife. He said he had no intention of killing Məhəmməd, and that he decided to punish him out of anger over his anti-state statements and insults.
“Both during the investigation and in today’s court proceedings, it became clear that the group had premeditated my murder and deliberately came to the city where I live. I have no doubt that Ilham Aliyev ordered my assassination,” the blogger emphasized.
Qasımov also noted that Məhəmməd Mirzəli had posted videos insulting him and his family. Although the blogger’s lawyer asked the defendant to submit those videos to the court, the other party was unable to produce any evidence.
Məhəmməd Mirzəli told Qəzetçi that Emin Qasımov is the brother of Elnur Qasımov, a criminal authority known by the nickname “Qardaşoğlu” who was killed in Istanbul in 2022.
Experts invited to the trial gave testimony about the “vor v zakone” criminal system originating from the former Soviet Union. The experts noted that what was perpetrated against Mirzəli represents the most serious assassination attempt carried out on French territory by this type of criminal group.
Journalists from Radio France who followed the May 26 proceedings reported that the hearing began with a presentation of the facts — from the planning of the attack to the flight of the perpetrators.
One of the defendants claimed that Məhəmməd Mirzəli had not been seriously attacked. The judge then asked one of the two gang members in the dock: “Were you there that day? On the banks of the Loire?” The defendant stood up and replied: “Yes, but I did nothing to kill anyone.”
A similar question was put to a second man — who claimed he had gone to Nantes for tourism purposes, whose identity changed repeatedly throughout the investigation including in his opening statement at the hearing, and who is alleged to be a member of the Russian-speaking mafia: “Did you participate in this attack?”
The man behind the dock declared in Turkish: “I was there, but I never intended to kill anyone… In any case, he was not seriously injured” — gesturing toward the victim and suggesting his life had not been in danger that day.
Nevertheless, the investigation did establish the existence of an organized group of three individuals, one of whom remains at large. They came to Europe to carry out this mission and received logistical support in Nantes, Paris, and beyond France’s borders.
The trial is being held under heightened security measures. Since Tuesday, the square in front of the historic Breton Parliament has been cordoned off. Police vans have blocked vehicle access, cyclists have dismounted and are proceeding on foot, and armed officers are searching bags and systematically checking entry points.
The defendants speak Azerbaijani, Turkish, or Georgian. Accordingly, approximately ten interpreters have been stationed in booths at the back of the courtroom.
Məhəmməd Mirzəli had told Qəzetçi the previous day that Emin Qasımov, arrested in connection with the assassination attempt against him, was detained using a forged Moldovan passport in the name of Andre Topal.
Mehrac Zərbəliyev was detained in Poland by Europol and extradited to France. Rövşən Qocayev, who is charged in connection with the assassination attempt against the blogger, is wanted by Interpol.
The other defendants are Rza Məlikov, Xəzər Xankişiyev, Ramil Sultanov, Çingiz İbrahimov, Emin İbrahimov, and Xəyyam Haqverdiyev.
Seymur Eyvazov and Tural Məmmədli were detained at the French-Swiss border by Swiss special services and transferred to Azerbaijan.
A person named Faiq Paşazadə was detained in Hungary by Europol. After Orbán left power, he was also handed over to French law enforcement. Those brought before the court are charged with attempted premeditated murder as part of an organized group and membership in a criminal organization.
Two assassination attempts against Məhəmməd Mirzəli have been recorded in France. The blogger was injured by gunfire in October 2020, and on March 14, 2021, he was seriously wounded in an attack by a group of individuals in Nantes.