Crackdown on journalists in Azerbaijan
Another leader of independent media in Azerbaijan, Imran Aliyev, head of the meclis.info website, has been arrested. He, like previously detained journalists, is accused of currency smuggling and illegally receiving grants from foreign donors.
Overall, seven journalists and editors are now under arrest in Azerbaijan, facing prison terms ranging from five to eight years.
- CPJ has called on Azerbaijani authorities to release journalists
- On the harmful foreign agents law and the vital role of international organizations in Abkhazia: video discussion
- Russia revives Soviet tradition: Confiscating oppositionists’ property. How does it work?
Detention of Imran Aliyev. Photo: Meydan.TV
On April 19th, the Khatai District Court in Baku ruled for the arrest Imran Aliyev, the head of the meclis.info website. He is being prosecuted under the “Abzas Media case”. Like in previous cases involving media representatives, he is also charged under Article 206.3.3 (smuggling committed by an official using his position) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
Aliyev was detained the evening before at the Baku airport. He was apprehended by border guards when he had already passed through passport control and was waiting to board a flight to Istanbul, and was then handed over to the police.
He managed to inform journalist colleagues about this. Aliyev also released a video statement, suggesting that he was being targeted in connection with the Abzas Media case.
“After I saw an article on Qafqazinfo, I decided to leave the country for my own safety and bought a ticket to Istanbul. But I was detained,” Aliyev said in the video.
A few hours before the detention, an article was published on the pro-government website Qafqazinfo, accusing Imran Aliyev of “collaborating with grant smugglers”.
“During the investigation into the activities of Imran Aliyev, the director of Meclis.info, Ulvi Hasanli, and the chief editor Sevinj Vagifgizi, it was established that they used ‘anonymous bank cards’ of foreign countries to circumvent financial control. “Part of the funds transferred from abroad was cashed out through these cards,” the article stated.
On November 20th of last year, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of Abzas Media, was arrested. During a search of the publication’s office, police ‘found’ 40 thousand euros. On the same day, Deputy Director Mahammad Kekalov was detained, followed by Chief Editor Sevinj Vagifgizi on November 21st. Shortly after, journalist Nargiz Absalamova, investigative journalist Hafiz Babali, and reporter Elnara Gasimova were also arrested.
All the named journalists have been charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling committed by a group of persons in collusion) and face five to eight years in prison. They are accused of illegally receiving grants from foreign donors.
International journalist organizations have called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release the detained journalists and to stop pressuring independent media.
On April 24th, the European Parliament will discuss the human rights situation in Azerbaijan.
Parliamentarians will consider a draft resolution titled: ‘Recent Repressions in Azerbaijan Against Civil Society: The Cases of Dr. Gubad Ibadoglu and Ilhamiz Guliyev.’ This was announced by Gubad’s brother, Galib Bayramov.
The document also addresses the cases of journalists from Abzas Media and Toplum TV. The resolution will be put to a vote on April 25th.
Toplum TV case in Azerbaijan: Arrests and detentions continue
All case defendants face 5 to 8 years of imprisonment for charges of smuggling by prior conspiracy
In September 2023, the European Parliament already adopted a resolution on Ibadoglu’s case, demanding his release.
Activist Guliyev was arrested on charges of illegal drug trafficking after he informed Abzas Media about police falsifying drug-related criminal cases.