On 20 June 2025, the Baku Serious Crimes Court handed down prison sentences ranging from seven to nine years to seven journalists in the so-called “Abzas Media case.” The ruling is widely condemned by media watchdogs, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as a blatant attack on independent journalism in Azerbaijan.
Among those sentenced are Sevinj Vagifgizi (editor-in-chief of Abzas Media), Ulvi Hasanli (director of Abzas Media), and Hafiz Babali (investigative journalist), who each received nine years in prison. Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova, both reporters, were sentenced to eight years, while Mahammad Kekalov, deputy director, was sentenced to seven years and six months. Additionally, Farid Mehralizada, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was sentenced to nine years.
The journalists were accused of “currency smuggling” — charges they reject as fabricated and politically motivated. Throughout the proceedings, they maintained their innocence and denounced the trial as a sham designed to silence independent media that expose corruption and injustice in the country.
In a symbolic act of protest, the journalists turned their backs to the judges as the verdict was announced. Sevinj Vagifgizi addressed the court, saying:
“What the government fears most is precisely what we strive to protect: the truth. I hope that one day you [the judges] will tear down the prison walls you have built within yourselves and find freedom. As for us, we are already free.”
Farid Mehralizada added:
“The verdict you are reading today is not yours — it belongs to those who ordered our arrest.”
RSF Condemns Political Trial, Calls for International Pressure
RSF’s editorial director Anne Bocandé described the sentences as the product of a purely political trial aimed at silencing those who expose corruption:
“These unjust sentences are the result of a fabricated trial designed to crush independent journalism. The courage of Sevinj Vagifgizi and her colleagues embodies the noblest values of the profession. RSF demands their immediate release and calls on the international community to intensify pressure on Baku.”
RSF has highlighted that at least 25 journalists are currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan, most on similarly unfounded charges. The country ranks 167th out of 180 in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by RSF.
A Pattern of Judicial Harassment
The case of Abzas Media is part of a wider pattern of judicial harassment of the media in Azerbaijan. The defense lawyers consistently argued that no credible evidence was presented and that the proceedings were driven by political orders rather than law.
As Bahruz Bayramov, the lawyer for journalist Elnara Gasimova, stated during the hearings:
“It is not you [the judges] who are deciding this case. You are simply executing orders.”
A Call for Global Solidarity
This verdict has sparked calls from media rights organizations for a united international response to the Azerbaijani government’s assault on press freedom. Critics point out the stark contrast between the intensifying repression in the country and the continued efforts by major powers, including the European Union, to secure lucrative energy deals with Azerbaijan.
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