This week saw ongoing human rights violations, with Sevinc Vaqifgizi facing continued abuse in detention, the sentencing of website director Ershad Ibrahimov to 8 years in prison for exposing police misconduct, and the second soldier death in less than a month under suspicious circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sevinc Vagifgizi Faces Continued Abuse in Detention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sevinc Vaqifgizi, the editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia<\/em>, has once again been subjected to violence at the Baku Investigation Detention Center, where she has been held for over a year. Vaqifgizi reported that a guard named Aygul Babayeva aggressively squeezed her arm and pushed her against the wall when she attempted to greet her colleague, Elnara Qasimova. This incident follows a pattern of mistreatment, as Vagifgizi and other AbzasMedia<\/em> journalists have faced repeated abuse since their arrest in 2023, including a previous instance in November 2024 when they protested the blocking of air vents in their cells. The journalists have also been coerced into making false statements, including fabricated accusations against one of their colleagues, Elnara Gasimova. AbzasMedia<\/em> continues to report on government corruption, and these actions are seen as part of a broader campaign of harassment against them. The Penitentiary Service has stated that the complaint will be reviewed, though no further updates have been provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website Director Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Reporting on Police Misconduct<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ershad Ibrahimov, the head of the “dunyaninsesi.az” website, was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Ganja Serious Crimes Court in January 2025, on charges of extortion under Article 182 of the Criminal Code. Ibrahimov and his co-defendant, Ali Hajiyev, denied the charges, claiming they were targeted for publishing materials about police abuse in various regions. Ibrahimov argued that his detention was a result of his journalistic work, particularly his articles exposing police misconduct. He revealed that he had been subjected to pressure and threats from the Organized Crime Department for publishing critical articles about law enforcement. Despite claims from the alleged victims of extortion that they were not coerced into filing complaints against Ibrahimov, the court sentenced him to 8 years in prison, a decision his lawyer intends to appeal. This is Ibrahimov’s second imprisonment, as he was previously sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2014, also on charges of extortion, but was later released under a pardon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n