Day: July 2, 2025
Restriction of freedom of speech in Georgia
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) calls the recent amendments to the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression repressive and predicts that, like other similar legislative initiatives, these amendments will also be used by the ruling Georgian Dream party against citizens and critical media.
What amendments are being discussed?
On June 27, 2025, the Georgian Dream Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression, initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, according to which:
- The provision requiring the initiator of any restriction on freedom of speech to prove the relevance of the measure is canceled, and any doubts that cannot be proven according to the law are to be resolved in favor of protecting freedom of speech;
- In defamation cases in court, the burden of proof has shifted to the defendant;
- The definition of defamation has been clarified to include public insults;
- The time frame for reviewing defamation cases has been reduced from one month to 10 days.
According to GYLA, these amendments effectively abolish important guarantees of freedom of speech.
“The new amendments are yet another example of the Georgian Dream’s repressive policy aimed at restricting freedom of speech, political discourse, pluralism, media, and civil society,” the organization stated.
We also remind that recently new rules have been introduced in Georgia, significantly restricting journalists’ ability to conduct photo and video recording in courtrooms, corridors, and in front of court buildings. This has been perceived as another attempt to hinder the work of independent media, which actively cover trials of people arrested for their political beliefs.
News in Georgia
Criminal case from Baku against Moscow
Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have entered the most tense phase in recent years. The killing of two Azerbaijanis by Russian special forces in Yekaterinburg and the brutal violence against several others have sparked not only a diplomatic but also a legal confrontation between the two countries.
Against this backdrop, on the evening of July 1, new accusations against Russia were published in an Azerbaijani state media outlet regarding the tragedy of December 25, 2024, when an AZAL-owned Embraer E190 aircraft was shot down over Chechnya by Russian air defenses.
Although the causes of the incident were never fully disclosed officially at the time, the event heightened security concerns in Azerbaijan-Russia relations. Now media outlets are circulating materials allegedly containing instructions from the Russian Ministry of Defense to attack the plane, fueling speculation that the incident may not have been accidental but part of a broader strategy.
The death of the brothers and the criminal case: accusations from official Baku
On June 27, in Yekaterinburg, during a raid conducted by Russian law enforcement, Azerbaijani brothers Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov were detained. Both died during the police detention.
The General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan stated that the brothers were “killed as a result of torture and extreme brutality”
A criminal case against Russian security agencies – the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the National Guard – has been opened under several serious articles of the criminal code.
According to the statement from the Prosecutor’s Office, “the victims were in a completely defenseless state. They were subjected to numerous severe blows — both on the way and at the police station.” Official forensic results also support this version of events.
Forensic examination: “bilateral rib fractures, brain hemorrhage”
According to Adalat Hasanov, Director General of the Association of Forensic Medical Examination and Pathological Anatomy at the Ministry of Health, Huseyn Safarov’s body showed displaced bone fractures, chest deformation, bruising around the eyes and lips, as well as abrasions and injuries in the scrotal and thigh areas.
Internal examination revealed “intracranial hemorrhages, bilateral and multiple rib fractures, lung ruptures, and bilateral hemopneumothorax.”
Adalat Hasanov stated: “The cause of death was post-traumatic and post-hemorrhagic shock.”
Ambassador summoned, protest note sparks controversy
On July 1, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation, Rakhman Mustafayev, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed an oral note. In response, Baku delivered its own note of protest to Russia during the meeting.
According to Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada, “the protest note expresses strong objection to the torture and degrading treatment inflicted on our compatriots during interrogations by Russian law enforcement agencies.”
Hajizada added that the actions of the Russian security forces violate both Russian legislation and international law and reflect ethnic intolerance toward Azerbaijanis.
Countermeasures: operation at Sputnik office, cancellation of cultural events
Amid the unfolding events, Azerbaijan conducted a search at the Baku office of the Russia Today – at the Sputnik Azerbaijan office, and declared its activities illegal. Here is the English translation: Editor-in-chief Igor Kartavykh and managing editor Evgeny Belousov have been detained.
Despite protests from Russia, Azerbaijan stated that the office’s actions violated the law, and a criminal case has been opened.
In addition, Azerbaijan canceled all cultural events planned in the country that were related to Russia or Russian performers and artists.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, the special representative of the Russian president for cultural affairs, called this step “a decision that impoverishes Azerbaijan’s cultural landscape.”
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described his statement as “biased and misrepresenting the facts”: “We do not believe that concerts by Russian performers like Basta enrich the cultural landscape of our country.”
Statements on the closure of Russian-language schools
Amid the events in Yekaterinburg, public discussions about the presence of the Russian language in Azerbaijan have once again intensified.
According to information circulated by Oxu.az and other pro-government media, unofficial notices allegedly announcing the gradual closure of Russian-language schools have appeared in some school parents’ WhatsApp groups.
According to these messages, the aim of the proposed initiative is to strengthen the position of the Azerbaijani language as the primary language of education and to ensure the integration of all citizens into a unified educational environment. These rumors have sparked public reaction, especially against the backdrop of increasing discrimination against Azerbaijanis living in Russia.
Leaked information suggests a phased implementation of the reform, the organization of professional development programs for teachers, and a full transition to Azerbaijani as the language of instruction. An official inquiry has been sent to the Ministry of Science and Education, but so far, there has been neither confirmation nor denial.
At the same time, some public platforms emphasize that this is not an ideological but a cultural and practical measure, which should be implemented through “gradual adaptation” rather than pressure.
Similar claims have been made before but were not confirmed in practice. However, amid the current tensions, the future of Russian-language education in Azerbaijan may be at risk.
Statements from the Kremlin: “Azerbaijan’s reaction is excessively emotional”
Commenting on the situation, the Kremlin accused Azerbaijan of excessive emotionality. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said: “The reaction from Baku is emotional. The detention of Russian journalists does not correspond to the spirit of bilateral relations. We hope this issue will be resolved.”
Political аnalyst: “Russia is deliberately еscalating relations”
Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu views the current developments as a continuation of the predicted tension in relations between Azerbaijan and Russia:
“In December, our plane was shot down, and our people were killed. No one apologized, no compensation was paid. And now – torture and killings.
Moreover, Kremlin media are spreading false information, claiming that the brothers were criminal authorities.”
Shahinoglu adds that Russia’s pressure mechanisms on Azerbaijan – deportation of migrants, embargoes on agricultural products – have become relevant again.
However, in his view, such policies could ultimately harm Russia’s own interests:
“In light of these events, we must undoubtedly strengthen our alliance with Turkey. The Turkish military base in Azerbaijan is necessary so that, in case of pressure from Iran or Russia, they see the Turkey-Azerbaijan alliance standing before them.”
New theories about the downed plane
This concerns the incident that took place last December when an AZAL Embraer E190 aircraft was shot down over Chechen territory. New claims regarding this incident have emerged.
An anonymous letter received by Minval.az contains information that the plane was shot down on the orders of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Audio recordings of the air defense captain who gave the order, along with radar data, are attached:
Captain Dmitry Sergeyevich Paladichuk explained:
“At 08:13, I received a phone order to destroy the target… At 08:13:33, a missile was launched… At 08:13:48, an order was given to open fire again.”
The editorial team notes that, although the authenticity of the letter has not been fully confirmed, the presence of three voice messages should be taken seriously and submitted for investigation:
“These materials may be useful to the authorized bodies of Azerbaijan investigating the circumstances of the tragedy.”
If this information is confirmed, the incident could be seen not only as a diplomatic crisis in Azerbaijan-Russia relations but also as an overt military provocation.
In conclusion
This situation represents not only a violation of human rights but also a significant geopolitical signal. For the first time, Azerbaijan has officially opened a criminal case against the security agencies of the Russian Federation.
This is an open challenge to the Kremlin’s dominant position in the South Caucasus.
The main question now is: how will Russia respond to these accusations? Whether it responds with words or silence, the confrontation may move beyond legal grounds into the diplomatic arena and potentially escalate into a broader regional conflict.
This time, the question is not only “who is to blame?” but “who will be held accountable?”
News from Azerbaijan
New #photography website about #Tusheti in #Georgia. By Stefan Applis @doinggeography https://t.co/B93D2q7vja
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) July 2, 2025