On 17 December 2024 the trial against six members of Abzas Media online platform (https://abzas.org/az/), investigative outlet, and freelance journalist Farid Mehralizada (Fərid Mehralızadə) commenced in Crimes Court in Baku (Bakı), Azerbaijan. All where arrested in 2023 and 2024. The journalists are accused of financial crimes, illegal foreign funding, including currency smuggling, tax evasion, and money laundering, charges that could result in lengthy prison sentences of up to 12 years under Azerbaijani law.
Arrested Abzas Media staff are CEO Ulvi Hasanli (Ülvi Həsənli /Ulvi Fakhreddin oglu Hasanov / Hasanli), born 1987,who was in the past also an activist of NIDA Civic Union, editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgizi (Abbasova /Sevinc Vaqif qızı Abbasova), born 1989, coordinator for Abzas projects and deputy CEO Mahammad Kekalov (Məhəmməd Kekalov / Mohammad Shamil oglu Kekalov), journalist Hafiz Babali (Hafiz Babalı), journalist Nargiz Absalamova (Nərgiz Absalamova) and journalist Elnara Gasimova (Elnarə Qasımova). Hafiz Babali is also affiliated with Turan Information Agency (https://turan.az/en) as head of the economic department of Turan Agency.
The accusations have been categorically denied by Abzas Media and all involved. They maintain that these charges are a form of retaliation for their investigative work exposing corruption among state officials in Azerbaijan. Mehralizada, an economist and journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Azerbaijani Service (RFE/RL – https://www.rferl.org/), has also denied involvement with Abzas Media, though authorities have linked him to the outlet.
This trial is part of a broader crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan in the past years.
Access to the courtroom has been restricted, and journalists covering the trial were reportedly barred from entering.
Abzas Media, known for its investigative reporting, has continued its work from abroad. The outlet asserts that the crackdown is a direct result of its reporting on corruption involving high level politicians.
This crackdown represents a concerning escalation in the Azerbaijani government’s efforts to restrict media freedom.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the arrests, detentions and court cases and will monitor the cases.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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