Azerbaijan's Press Freedom Crisis: Amnesty International Reports Record Journalist Imprisonments and Eradication of Independent Media

Amnesty International

Baku, Azerbaijan – In a stark assessment released on July 22, coinciding with Azerbaijan's National Press Day, Amnesty International (AI) has revealed a severe deterioration of press freedom in the country. The international human rights organization reports that the number of media workers arrested on political grounds is now the highest since Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe in 2001, with virtually no independent media outlets remaining.

According to AI, independent journalists in Azerbaijan are routinely subjected to fabricated charges, baseless arrests, and deplorable detention conditions. This crackdown has intensified particularly around the COP29 international climate change conference held in Baku in November 2024, extending its reach to both media and civil society representatives.

The report highlights that the "Law on Media," adopted by parliament in December 2022, has served as a primary tool for dismantling independent media organizations. Platforms such as Abzas Media, Meydan TV, Toplum TV, Kanal 13, and Kanal 11 have faced years of relentless pressure. This repression includes the unjustified rejection of their registrations, raids on their offices, and the freezing of their bank accounts – all designed to stifle their operations and cut off financial lifelines.

Currently, Amnesty International confirms that at least 29 journalists and media workers, including nine women, are either detained or held in pre-trial detention centers across Azerbaijan. Among the most prominent cases are the staff members of Abzas Media: director Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgizi, and journalists Hafiz Babali, Nargiz Absalamova, Elnara Gasimova, translator Mahammad Kekalov, and economist Farid Mehralizade. These individuals have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years.

The charges leveled against these journalists – typically "currency smuggling," "tax evasion," "money laundering," and "document forgery" – are consistently described as baseless by Amnesty International. The report emphasizes that no substantial evidence is presented in court to support these accusations, which are widely seen as politically motivated attempts to silence critical reporting. For instance, smuggling charges are sometimes "justified" by small amounts of cash found during searches, while in other instances, the defense asserts that no evidence of smuggling is presented at all.

Beyond the arrests, the report details the appalling conditions faced by detained journalists. Many suffer from serious health problems, are deprived of necessary medical assistance, and are subjected to ill-treatment, violence, and psychological pressure within detention facilities. Journalist Ulviyya Ali, for example, reported being subjected to violence and threats of sexual assault by police during her arrest. The authorities' pressure also extends to journalists' families, whose bank accounts are frozen, who are deprived of financial assistance, and who face artificial barriers to communication with their imprisoned relatives.

In response to this escalating crisis, Amnesty International has issued a series of urgent demands to the Azerbaijani authorities:

• Immediate and unconditional release of all journalists detained or imprisoned on politically motivated charges for their critical views, along with the revocation of their convictions and the dropping of all unfounded criminal charges.

• Ensuring adequate medical care for all detainees and preventing any inhumane, degrading, or cruel treatment or punishment.

• Investigation of all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment reported by journalists and others, holding those responsible accountable through fair trials.

• Full and immediate implementation of the recommendations made by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

• Ending the persecution of dissidents and immediately ceasing repression against civil society and independent media, including unjustified registration rejections, arbitrary arrests, and the prosecution of media and civil society representatives on baseless charges that contradict international law.

• Cessation of pressure on family members of imprisoned journalists and government critics, including the unjustified freezing of their financial assets.

• A clear commitment to respecting and ensuring human rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

• Repealing the restrictive Media Law that leads to censorship, particularly its excessive registration and reporting requirements.

• Full and effective cooperation with the Council of Europe, respecting membership obligations, and facilitating visits by Council bodies to the country.

Amnesty International also urges the international community to pay close attention to these critical issues and to demand that the Azerbaijani government uphold its fundamental human rights obligations.