The Baku Grave Crimes Court has granted permission for journalist Shamshad Agha (Aghayev), editor-in-chief of the website argument.az, who was arr ested within the framework of the “Meydan TV case,” to attend his mother’s funeral ceremony.
According to the decision adopted at the court hearing chaired by Judge Ayten Aliyeva, Shamshad Agha will be able to attend the funeral and mourning ceremonies to be held in Shivla village of the Lerik district.
The decision states that the journalist has been granted permission for a period of three days starting from January 29 to attend the funeral of his mother, Zarifa Aghayeva.
77-year-old Zarifa Aghayeva passed away on January 28 in the afternoon. It was reported that she suffered from Parkinson’s disease.
Lawyer Fakhraddin Mehdiyev had filed a motion with the court to ensure Shamshad Agha’s participation in the mourning ceremony.
Last year, on October 12, Shamshad Agha’s 18-year-old niece, Sema Aghayeva, also passed away from cancer. At that time, the Khatai District Court did not grant the journalist’s motion to be released from detention to attend his niece’s mourning ceremony.
Shamshad Agha was arrested on February 5, 2025, in connection with a criminal case related to Meydan TV.
He was charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy), and a pretrial detention measure was selected against him by court decision.
On August 28, 2025, the charges in the “Meydan TV case” were aggravated, and seven additional articles were added against those arrested in this case.
The journalists arrested in this case do not consider themselves guilty and say they are being punished for their critical activities.
