On July 10, the Narimanov District Court declined to proceed with a complaint filed by families of political prisoners against Azerbaijani influencer Tarix Aliyev (known as “Tolik”).
The judicial panel, presided over by Judge Kamal Babayev, refused to accept the case on procedural grounds. According to defense lawyer Zibeyda Sadigova, the court cited that the submitted video evidence had been edited, and the segment containing Aliyev’s offensive language had been removed. The lawyer stated that she could not explain why or how the footage was altered, but the legal team plans to re-submit the complaint.
Last month, Arzu Abdulla, a journalist and wife of currently imprisoned religious activist Bakhtiyar Babashov, reported that 78 families of political prisoners had joined the legal action against Aliyev. They accuse him of insulting prisoners’ families during a live discussion on TikTok.
“These families were deeply offended by his degrading comments. We live in a constitutional state and seek legal accountability. Our struggle will continue until Tolik is held responsible,” said Abdulla.
The controversy stems from a TikTok livestream in which Aliyev used derogatory and unethical language to describe families of individuals recognized by international organizations and human rights groups as political prisoners.
The incident sparked public outrage and led several families to file lawsuits. Mothers of jailed journalists also issued a joint statement, accusing Aliyev of acting as an informal mouthpiece of the government, spreading hate rhetoric under the guise of entertainment.
“Given his broad media access and alignment with state narratives, we do not consider this behavior accidental. We view his statements as part of an orchestrated campaign directed by political authorities. Therefore, we hold both Tarix Aliyev and the ruling government accountable for spreading hatred against the families of political prisoners,” the statement read.
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