BAKU – Seven individuals went on trial in Azerbaijan on January 21, marking the latest in a series of high-profile cases against independent media workers in the country. The charges have sparked widespread accusations of a government crackdown on press freedom.
Six of the defendants are affiliated with Abzas Media, an independent outlet known for its investigative work on corruption and human rights issues in Azerbaijan, which ranks 164th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. The seventh is a journalist from the Azeri language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a U.S.-funded outlet.
International press freedom organizations have called for the release of the Abzas Media staff, accusing Azerbaijani authorities of targeting their anti-corruption reporting. President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly defended the government’s actions, claiming that Azerbaijan has “a free press and a free internet,” while asserting the need to protect the country’s media landscape from external influences.
The arrests began in November 2023 when authorities alleged that 40,000 euros ($41,000) in cash were found in Abzas Media’s offices in Baku. The defendants face up to 12 years in prison if convicted on charges of smuggling, which they deny. In court, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of Abzas Media, claimed that the money was planted by investigators during the search and demanded that the banknotes be tested for fingerprints.
Farid Mehralizada, a journalist with RFE/RL, is also on trial in connection with the case, despite the outlet stating that he had never worked for Abzas Media. The trial is set to resume on February 11.
The case has drawn international attention, with former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for the release of human rights activists and journalists in Azerbaijan, including the editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, Sevinj Vagifgizi. According to Reporters Without Borders, at least 20 independent media professionals are currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan.