Jailed Meydan TV Journalists Denounce 'Fabricated' Charges and Demand Separation of Cases

Jailed staff members of Meydan TV have issued a statement from prison, asserting that individuals with no connection to the media organization have been unfairly implicated in their case. The journalists have been detained for eight months following a police operation last December, initially linked to an investigation into "smuggling." They were subsequently charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code, pertaining to smuggling committed by a group of individuals in prior collusion.

Journalists such as Aytaj Ahmadova (Tapdıq), Aysel Umudova, Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunash), Natig Javadli, Ramin Jabrayilzada (Deko), Khayala Aghayeva, and Ulvi Tahirov were among those initially detained for four months, with their detention periods extended multiple times. Further arrests in connection with the "Meydan TV case" included Shamshad Aghayev, Nurlan Gahramanli (Libre), Fatima Movlamli, and Ulviyya Guliyeva (Ali) in February and May.

Unjust Implication of Baku Journalism School (BJM) Representative

The journalists' statement specifically highlights the case of Ulvi Tahirov, a representative of the Baku Journalism School (BJM), who they claim has no affiliation with Meydan TV. His arrest, they state, stems solely from his friendship with Aynur Elgunash, Meydan TV's editor-in-chief.

The statement clarifies the nature of BJM and its relationship with "Meydan TV":

• BJM is a non-governmental organization that has operated for 20 years, training hundreds of journalists, whose graduates are represented across various media outlets and TV channels.

• While several Meydan TV employees, including Aynur Elgunash, are BJM alumni, and the friendship between Elgunash and Tahirov originated at BJM, there have been no business ties between Meydan TV and BJM.

• Aynur Elgunash served as editor-in-chief of "var.az," a website under BJM, from 2009 to 2011, and provided training in public journalism. However, BJM changed its profile to multimedia training in 2014, and Elgunash's training activities ceased, cutting off business relations due to her specialization in print media.

• The journalists argue that any personal connection of Aynur Elgunash to BJM does not constitute a connection for Meydan TV, which is an official media organization registered in Germany.

Investigation's Shift to BJM Finances and Alleged Fabrications

The jailed journalists assert that the investigation, having failed to achieve its initial objectives regarding Meydan TV, has now shifted its focus to BJM's activities and finances.

They claim that the investigation is now posing questions about BJM's financial operations and attempting to obtain testimonies based on documents of unknown origin that do not show any connection to Meydan TV.

It is alleged that these documents are being used to create the appearance of 1 million manats in funds being obtained and an accusation of approximately 80,000 manats in tax evasion.

The journalists dismiss these figures as "ridiculous," stating that the total amount attributed to "uploads" and fake documents does not exceed 160,000 manats, which is a "laughable sum" for 11 arrested individuals.

They contend that the claim of BJM receiving grant projects, and the fabricated proportions of these amounts, are being used to justify the arrests.

The journalists accuse the authorities of handling the process incompetently, leading them to believe that the true objective is not to accuse but to arrest.

They also highlight that other journalists, including Shamshad Aghayev, Natig Javadli, Khayala Aghayeva, Fatima Movlamli, Ulviyya Ali, and Nurlan Libre, who have no connection to BJM's training rooms, are being punished based on forged documents related to the organization.

Journalists' Defiant Stance and Demands

The Meydan TV journalists firmly reject all accusations against them, stating that their arrests are linked to their professional journalistic activities. They explicitly state their opposition to the addition of further fabrications to an already "fake" criminal case. They demand dignified treatment from the political authorities. Crucially, they reiterate that there has never been a business relationship between BJM and Meydan TV and that no documents or evidence exist to prove otherwise. Therefore, they demand the separation of the BJM case from the "Meydan TV" case.

The statement concludes with a strong message to the authorities, asserting that if their expectations of a political show for the public have failed, they should not compensate for it with further falsification. The journalists declare that their actions do not contain any criminal elements and emphatically state: "Journalism is not a crime!"