Azerbaijani journalist Hafiz Babali is in jail and is not getting needed medical care, resulting in declining health

Hafiz Babali

Babali, who is in prison because of the AbzasMedia case, says his health is worsening. He is complaining about not receiving proper medical attention while at Penitentiary Institution No. 2.

Babali has a bad infection in his leg. He wrote on his Facebook page in December that his condition was very serious. The prison doctor said he has Erysipelas, a skin infection. Babali got a shot of Cefazolin-Akos, but he says he is still in serious condition.

Babali says that prison officials haven't allowed him to move to the institution's medical area or to get checked by an outside doctor for treatment and care. He said that these health issues are seriously complicating my daily life and are a real threat to his health. He is asking people to respect his legal right to medical care.

Sanctions and Blocked Legal Appeals

Babali has also had sanctions and limits placed on him. He can't have open visits with his family and can only see them through glass now.

Also, in November, Babali wrote to the Minister of Justice and the Ombudsman, stating that the prison administration had stopped him from sending court appeals since November 6. These appeals were to protect his honor from a defamation campaign by government media, which accused him of crimes such as illegal financing and anti-state activity. He said the prison was grossly restricting his legal rights by not mailing his court documents.

Background on the AbzasMedia Case

Hafiz Babali, an investigative journalist working for AbzasMedia, was arrested in December 2023 as part of the AbzasMedia case.

In June 2025, the Baku Court gave him a nine-year prison sentence for smuggling. Other journalists and staff from AbzasMedia also received long sentences: Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, and Farid Mehralizade got 9 years; Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova got 8 years; and Mahammad Kekalov got 7 years and 6 months.

Babali and his colleagues say they are innocent and were arrested for their journalism. International media and human rights groups believe the case is part of an effort to silence independent media in Azerbaijan.