On January 16, the trial of former members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), Aksel Fischer and Eduard Lintner, began at the Munich High Court. According to the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor's Office, both deputies are accused of accepting bribes from the Azerbaijani government.

This criminal case is related to the corruption scandal that emerged within the Council of Europe, known as "Caspian Diplomacy." Allegedly, the Azerbaijani government spent years buying off members of this institution to silence reports and discussions on human rights violations in the country.

In a statement released by the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office in 2020, it was stated that Lintner received 4 million euros from Azerbaijan through British companies with bank accounts in the Baltic States between 2008 and 2016. Fischer, on the other hand, reportedly accepted 22,000 euros in bribes in 2015-2016.

It is worth noting that a similar charge has been brought against another German deputy. Karin Strenz of the CDU, through Lintner, allegedly accepted 150,000 euros and agreed to act according to the Azerbaijani government’s instructions. In 2015-2016, she voted against a resolution on human rights in Azerbaijan.

In March 2021, while returning from Cuba to Germany, Karin Strenz’s health deteriorated. Despite an emergency landing in Ireland, the 53-year-old deputy could not be saved. The autopsy concluded that her health was not impacted by external interference and that she died naturally.

As a result, the trial in Munich will interrogate Fischer and Lintner. The trial, which will consist of thirty hearings, is expected to conclude on April 25.