Three Detained AbzasMedia Journalists Reportedly Begin Hunger Strike in Solidarity with Ulvi Hasanli

On July 2, it was reported that three detained journalists from “AbzasMedia” – Nargiz Absalamova, Elnara Gasimova, and Sevinc Vagifgizi – have begun a hunger strike in support of their imprisoned colleague Ulvi Hasanli.

According to their relatives, the journalists are being subjected to inhumane treatment and alleged torture at Baku Pretrial Detention Facility No. 1 under the order of the facility’s director, Elnur Ismayilov.

Reports suggest that during a phone call with family, Sevinc Vagifgizi and Elnara Gasimova managed to share information about their hunger strike and the mistreatment they are facing before the call was abruptly cut off. Their families also reported that the women were placed in solitary confinement and had their personal belongings forcibly taken.

On June 20, 2025, Baku Serious Crimes Court, presided over by Judge Rasim Sadigov, sentenced several AbzasMedia employees in connection with the “AbzasMedia case”:

• Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinc Vagifgizi, Hafiz Babalı, and Farid Mehralizade were sentenced to 9 years in prison;
• Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova received 8-year sentences;
• Mahammad Kekalov was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months.

On June 26, Hasanli, Babalı, Mehralizade, and Kekalov were transferred from Baku Pretrial Detention Center to a penitentiary complex in Umbaki. Hasanli began a hunger strike in protest, which has now lasted for over eight days.

In the new facility, Hasanli reportedly faced mistreatment and was denied visits from his wife and young daughter. Due to his hunger strike, he was placed in a disciplinary cell and allegedly subjected to degrading treatment.

On July 1, AbzasMedia issued a statement demanding that President Ilham Aliyev, Minister of Justice Farid Ahmadov, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, and Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva take immediate action.

The arrests of AbzasMedia staff date back to November 2023, when several of its journalists were detained. In May 2023, Radio Azadliq journalist Farid Mehralizade was also arrested in connection with this case, though AbzasMedia stated he was not affiliated with them.

The imprisoned journalists deny all charges, asserting that their arrests were politically motivated and intended to punish their investigative reporting on corruption.

Both local and international human rights organizations have condemned the detentions as politically driven and have called for the immediate release of the journalists.