This week saw the launch of the campaign by Amnesty International for the release of detained Meydan TV journalists, the extension of detention for Toplum TV employees, and the rejection of house arrest request for Nicat Ibrahim.
Amnesty International Launches Campaign for Meydan TV Employees
Amnesty International has initiated an international campaign calling for the immediate release of Meydan TV’s detained employees, arrested in early December 2024. The organization has urged global citizens to send letters to President Ilham Aliyev, demanding the journalists’ freedom. Those detained include prominent media figures such as Aynur Qanbarova and Natiq Cavadlı, as well as Ulvi Tahirov, the deputy head of Baku Journalism School. While the authorities charge them with “currency smuggling,” Amnesty asserts that these accusations are politically motivated and aimed at silencing critical voices. The campaign will run until March 2025 and is part of a broader push against the Azerbaijani government’s crackdown on free expression.
Toplum TV Journalists’ Detention Extended
In a separate legal development, the detention of several journalists associated with Toplum TV has been extended until early April 2025. Despite growing international concern and objections from defense lawyers, the Baku Appellate Court upheld the decision to prolong the pre-trial detention. These journalists, including media experts like Alasgar Mammadli and Akif Qurbanov, are accused of smuggling foreign currency, although they maintain the charges are fabricated. Lawyers argue that the prolonged detention without substantial evidence is unjustified, and the case appears to be politically motivated, aimed at suppressing independent media in Azerbaijan. This is part of a wider pattern where over 30 journalists and activists have been detained in similar cases involving dubious charges like smuggling.
Activist Nicat Ibrahim Denies Charges as Court Rejects House Arrest Request
Nicat Ibrahim, an Azerbaijani civic activist, has been detained for four months on charges of stabbing an individual named Bahman Aliyev. He is accused under Article 126.2.4 of the Criminal Code, which involves causing serious harm with a dangerous method and malicious intent. However, İbrahim denies the allegations, asserting that he did not commit the crime and that security camera footage from the incident location, which could prove his innocence, was never provided. His lawyer requested house arrest due to the lack of evidence, but the court rejected the request. İbrahim’s arrest follows an attempt to leave the country in September 2024, where he was stopped at the airport due to an exit ban, despite a previous court decision lifting such restrictions. Ibrahim has expressed his frustration with ongoing police harassment, which also caused his children to fear law enforcement. The trial has been postponed until January 13, 2025.
