Azerbaijan Marks 150 Years of Press – While Women Journalists Remain Behind Bars

As Azerbaijan prepares to mark the 150th anniversary of its national press, a disturbing truth overshadows the celebration: dozens of women journalists and oppositional women are currently imprisoned, punished for doing what journalism is meant to do—telling the truth.

To shed light on this grim contradiction, the Social Union of Legal Education of Sumgait Youth has published a detailed and timely report:
“Pressure on Women Journalists and Oppositional Women in Azerbaijan:
In the Context of Media Freedom and Gender-Based Persecution”

What the Report Reveals:

• Journalists such as Sevinc Vagifqizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Fatimə Mövlamlı, Ulviyya Quliyeva, Elnara Gasimova, Aytac Tapdiq and others have been arrested under fabricated charges-accused of smuggling, tax evasion, or illegal funding, simply for publishing investigations;
• Many of them faced torture, threats, and degrading treatment while in custody;
• Their family members-especially women-have also been targeted through intimidation, job loss, or public shaming, reflecting a disturbing pattern of collective punishment;
• State institutions, including prominent women politicians, remain silent, further legitimizing gender-based repression;
• International organizations such as RSF, Freedom House, and UN Special Rapporteurs have documented these violations, calling the arrests politically motivated and systematic.

What Makes This Report Different:

This is not just a list of names and dates. The report examines:

• The methods of persecution targeting women journalists and activists;
• The gendered dimension of state violence, psychological warfare, and isolation;
• And the global response to Azerbaijan’s deepening crackdown on free press and women’s voices.

Read the Full Report Here:

Our Call to Action:

On this symbolic anniversary, we choose not to celebrate silence. We call on the international community, press freedom defenders, and human rights advocates to:

• Read and share this report;
• Raise awareness about the imprisoned women journalists of Azerbaijan;
• And stand with us to demand their immediate and unconditional release.

Journalism is not a crime. But in Azerbaijan, it costs women their freedom.