Azerbaijani Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Independent Journalism: Aytaj Tapdig Celebrates Birthday in Custody Amid Fabricated Charges

Baku, Azerbaijan – As journalist Aytaj Tapdig marked her 32nd birthday behind bars on July 18, 2025, her case has become a stark symbol of the escalating crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan. Tapdig is one of 11 journalists and civil society members arrested since December 2024 in what is widely known as the "Meydan TV case," all facing charges of smuggling that colleagues and international organizations assert are fabricated.

Aytaj Tapdig, born Aytaj Ahmadova on July 18, 1993, in Baku, has been a defiant figure in Azerbaijani journalism. After completing a journalism course in 2014, she joined Meydan TV in 2015, immediately facing severe pressure. She was interrogated multiple times by the "Bandotdel" (Department for Combating Organized Crime) as part of a criminal case against Meydan TV, yet she never surrendered. A recent video from June 2024 showed her continuing her work actively, even as her arrest seemed imminent, reflecting her commitment to journalism on behalf of her imprisoned colleagues. This unwavering dedication, her colleagues note, contradicts the "most fundamental logic of criminality – leaving the scene of the crime," suggesting the authorities' actions are based on "violence, not logic."

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) released a statement on Aytaj's birthday, demanding her immediate release and an end to the persecution of independent journalists in Azerbaijan. The ECPMP highlighted that since her arrest on December 6, 2024, Aytaj has been subjected to "psychological pressure, state-led smear campaigns, and violations of her fundamental rights – including being forcibly separated from her fiancé."

The solidarity among the imprisoned journalists is palpable, as evidenced by heartfelt birthday messages sent to Aytaj from her colleagues, including Meydan TV's imprisoned editor-in-chief Aynur Elgunesh, and journalists Khayala Agayeva and Aysel Umudova.

Khayala Agayeva recalled the moment she and Aytaj were brought to the temporary detention center, separated but united in defiance: "Over the next two days, Aytaj's slogan, 'Long live Meydan TV supporters!' was often heard from the corridor." Agayeva lauded Aytaj's "resolve, faith, courage, and determination to work," describing her as "an anchored ship" and a "source of life" with her "caring, a smile that brings sunshine in the toughest times, and sometimes an unbearable purity."

Aysel Umudova shared an anecdote illustrating Aytaj's fearlessness: "Once during filming, security approached us and... told us they would call the police if we didn't stop filming. Aytaj replied in a very sharp voice, 'Call them! Call them!' They did call :) and here we are, going to the police station." Umudova emphasized their shared experiences, including "waiting for each other in front of police stations, and finally becoming political prisoners."

Aynur Elgunesh underscored Aytaj's profound humanity, noting that even when a state-affiliated TV personality, Mirshahin, was slandering Aytaj, Aytaj was "raising hell at the 'Sanitary Unit' to get his sick brother to the hospital." Elgunesh concluded, "You deserve the best of everything in this world. Happy birthday."

The most damning revelation regarding the nature of these arrests comes from journalist Fatima Movlamli, also imprisoned in the "Meydan TV case." Movlamli disclosed a startling exchange during her July 4 hearing at the Baku Court of Appeals. She recounted how Judge Ramin Garaqurbanli, in response to her defiant statements, explicitly told her she was arrested "precisely because of how [she] spoke."

Movlamli had challenged the evidence presented against her, specifically the claim that her fingerprints were found on four out of 153 banknotes (totaling 13,500 euros) allegedly discovered in her home. She asserted the money was planted and detailed how her damaged left index finger's print appeared "one-sided and incomplete" when taken at the Temporary Detention Facility, suggesting a discrepancy with the expert's report. Movlamli declared that the examination "served not the truth, but a fabricated criminal case opened to hold us hostage."

When the judge interrupted her, stating her arrest was due to her speech, Movlamli seized the opportunity: "So, you are admitting with your own tongue that I was arrested not for smuggling, but for what I said and wrote." Despite this apparent admission, the judge denied her appeal against the extension of her pre-trial detention.

The "Meydan TV case" has seen a total of 11 individuals arrested since December 6, 2024, all charged with smuggling under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code. Those detained include:

• Aynur Elgunesh (Gambarova) – Head of Meydan TV's Azerbaijani representation

• Ramin Deko (Jabrayilzade) – Journalist

• Aysel Umudova – Journalist

• Aytaj Tapdig (Ahmadova) – Journalist

• Khayala Agayeva – Journalist

• Natig Javadli – Journalist

• Ulvi Tahirov – Civil society member

• Shamshad Aga – Editor-in-chief of "Arqument.az" and Meydan TV collaborator

• Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli) – Journalist

• Fatima Movlamli – Journalist

• Ulviyya Ali (Guliyeva) – Journalist

None of the detained journalists have pleaded guilty, maintaining their innocence against what they describe as politically motivated charges aimed at silencing independent voices. The investigation is currently ongoing.

The cases of Aytaj Tapdig and her colleagues underscore a concerning trend of suppressing media freedom in Azerbaijan. International bodies and human rights advocates continue to call for their immediate and unconditional release, emphasizing that journalism is not a crime.