International human rights organizations have once again called for the release of journalists detained in the “Abzas Media case” as the next court session is set to take place today, 20 June.
On 20 May, the state prosecutor requested a total of 80 years of imprisonment for the defendants in this case.
In a statement from Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, it was emphasized that the journalists have faced threats, pressure, and injustice throughout this period.
“The journalists’ only ‘crime’ was to deliver the truth to the public. They must be released immediately,” the statement reads.
Gulnoza Said, Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), stated that the Azerbaijani authorities’ demand for a total of 80 years in prison for six Abzas Media employees and Farid Mehralizade, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Azadliq Radiosu), is part of a broader campaign to crush independent media in the country.
“The verdict in this case will effectively determine whether Azerbaijan will wipe out independent journalism completely. With about 20 other journalists currently facing similar charges, the international community must clearly state that if the Azerbaijani government continues this practice of mass imprisonment of journalists, normal relations cannot continue as before,” Said stressed.
Today’s hearing is expected to feature final statements from the journalists, followed by the court’s verdict.
Since 20 November 2023, six employees of Abzas Media — director Ulvi Hasanli, deputy director Mammad Kekalov, editor-in-chief Sevinc Vagifgizi, reporters Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova, and investigative journalist Hafiz Babali — have been in detention. In May 2024, Farid Mehralizade, an economist and journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was also arrested as part of the same case. On that day, Abzas Media issued a statement clarifying that they had no professional ties with Mehralizade.
Those detained face charges under multiple articles of the Criminal Code, including:
- Article 206.3.2 (smuggling by a group of persons)
- Article 206.4 (smuggling by an organized group)
- Article 192.3.2 (illegal entrepreneurship by an organized group)
- Articles 193-1.3.1 and 193-1.3.2 (money laundering of significant sums by an organized group)
- Article 213.2.1 (tax evasion by an organized group)
- Articles 320.1 and 320.2 (document forgery and use of forged documents)
If convicted, the journalists face sentences ranging from 8 to 12 years in prison.
The defendants reject all charges, stating that their arrests are politically motivated and linked to their investigative work exposing corruption.
Both local and international human rights organizations regard these arrests as politically driven and continue to call for the immediate release of the journalists and the dismissal of all charges against them.
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