IRFS Condemns Violations of Fair Trial Rights in Abzas Media Case

BAKU — The Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) condemned the grave violations of due process and fair trial rights witnessed during the recent hearings for the staff of Abzas Media. The organization has joined a growing chorus of international bodies in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the imprisoned journalists.

The recent preliminary hearing at the appellate court highlighted a disturbing disregard for legal standards. During the proceedings, journalists Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, and Elnara Gasimova were placed in a position where they could not hear their lawyers due to malfunctioning microphones. When they protested, they were violently removed from the courtroom by Penitentiary Service employees. This act of silencing the defendants and their legal counsel is a fundamental breach of their right to a fair trial and due process.

The IRFS views the long prison sentences handed down on June 20, 2025, as a miscarriage of justice. Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Hafiz Babaly, and Farid Mehralizade were each sentenced to nine years, while Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova received eight years, and Mohammed Kekalov was sentenced to seven and a half years. These harsh sentences, following what the defendants and their colleagues have called politically motivated charges, serve as a stark warning to other independent media voices in Azerbaijan.

The Abzas Media case is not an isolated incident but rather the starting point of a wider campaign against independent journalism in the country. The subsequent arrests of staff from Toplum TV and Meydan TV under similar circumstances demonstrate a clear pattern of persecution. The IRFS stands in solidarity with all journalists being targeted for their investigative work.

We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately reverse these unjust sentences and release the Abzas Media staff and all other journalists imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The international community must continue to monitor the situation closely and demand accountability for these flagrant abuses of power.