Azerbaijani judges storm out of court as journalist details president's wealth

Khayala Aghayeva

A panel of Azerbaijani judges abruptly halted a trial in Baku on Friday after a detained journalist began testifying about the offshore wealth of President Ilham Aliyev's family.

Khayala Aghayeva, an investigative reporter with the independent outlet Meydan TV, was speaking at the Baku Grave Crimes Court when the judicial panel, led by Judge Ayten Aliyeva, stood up and walked out.

Aghayeva is one of 12 defendants in the "Meydan TV case" facing charges of smuggling, illegal entrepreneurship, and tax evasion—allegations that international media watchdogs say are politically motivated.

The journalists, who deny all charges, face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.

During her testimony, Aghayeva accused the Aliyev family of systematically hiding offshore assets while ordinary citizens faced financial hardship.

"Little Heydar [the president's son], who is my age, had $75m (£59m) worth of Dubai real estate acquired in his name when he was only nine years old," she told the court.

"This occurred in 2006, the very same year our government cut off state child benefits for families across the country. How, then, did they smuggle millions of dollars abroad for their own children at that exact time?"

The judges repeatedly warned Aghayeva to stop her testimony, but she continued, raising a multi-billion-dollar bribery scandal involving efforts by the Azerbaijani government to buy influence within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

"The government distributed approximately $3bn in bribes to buy these deputies for criminal purposes," Aghayeva said, immediately before the judges stood up and brought the session to a sudden end.

The trial has been postponed indefinitely following the judicial walkout.

Earlier in her address, Aghayeva accused President Aliyev of hypocrisy, pointing to the World Urban Forum being hosted in Baku this week.

She said that while the head of state spoke to foreign delegates about preserving the capital's heritage, authorities were secretly demolishing the historic Bayirsheher district.

"While foreign guests attending the forum are escorted through the pristine 'White City', history in Bayirsheher is already lying under ruins," she said.

The Meydan TV prosecutions are part of a wider, systematic crackdown on independent media in the Caspian nation.

Since November 2023, more than 30 journalists, civil society activists, and non-governmental organisation workers have been detained under identical smuggling and financial charges.

These include seven journalists associated with the investigative outlet Abzas Media, who have already received prison sentences of up to nine years, as well as ongoing prosecutions against staff of Toplum TV.

Azerbaijani authorities deny any political motivation behind the arrests, maintaining that the defendants are being prosecuted strictly for financial and criminal offences.

However, defence lawyers have pointed to severe procedural violations during the trial.

Natiq Cavadli, another detained Meydan TV journalist, told the court that officials had repeatedly blocked him from granting power of attorney to his family because of administrative errors.

"How can there be such utter irresponsibility, such absolute incompetence?" Cavadli said.