Serial arrests of journalists in Azerbaijan (2023–2025) occurred from November 2023, targeting independent media outlets in Azerbaijan. Several criminal cases were initiated following a similar pattern.
On November 20, 2023, the head of AbzasMedia, Ulvi Hasanli, and project coordinator Mahammad Kekalov were arrested; on November 21, the editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia, Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifgizi); on November 28, the head of the YouTube channel Kanal13, Aziz Orujov; on November 30, AbzasMedia reporter Nargiz Absalamova; on December 12, the head of the YouTube channel Kanal11, Teymur Karimov; on December 13, the editor of the economic department of the Turan Information Agency, Hafiz Babali; on January 14, 2024, AbzasMedia reporter Elnara Gasimova; on March 6–8, video editor of Toplum TV, Mushfig Jabbarov, and co-founder of Toplum TV, Alasgar Mammadli; on April 18, the head of the website Meclisinfo, Imran Aliyev; on May 30, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty employee Farid Mehralizade; on December 6, the editor-in-chief of Meydan TV, Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunesh), reporters Aysel Umudova, Aytaj Ahmadova (Tapdig), Khayala Aghayeva, and Ramin Jabrayilzade (Deko), and journalist Natig Javadli; on January 17, 2025, Toplum TV reporter Farid Ismayilov; on February 6, Meydan TV editor Shamshad Agha and Toplum TV editor Shahnaz Huseynova (Beylargizi); on February 20, independent reporter Nurlan Gahramanli (Libre); on March 1, independent reporter Fatima Movlamli; on May 7, Voice of America journalist Ulviyya Guliyeva (Ali); and on August 28, independent photojournalist Ahmed Mukhtar were arrested.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against the detained media executives under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. Subsequently, other media workers were also implicated in the same case. A preliminary investigation was conducted by the Main Department of the Baku City Police, and as a result, journalists were charged under additional articles of the Criminal Code, including illegal entrepreneurship involving large-scale income committed by an organized group, legalization of property obtained through criminal means on a significant scale, smuggling committed by an organized group, tax evasion committed by an organized group, document forgery, use of forged documents, and employing workers without formal labor contracts.
Between 2023 and 2025, at least 110 individuals were questioned as witnesses by the Investigation Department of the Main Department of the Baku City Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in connection with criminal cases against AbzasMedia, Toplum TV, and Meydan TV. Those questioned included not only journalists, but also their family members, friends, landlords of apartments used as offices, and taxi drivers whose services the arrested individuals had used. Most witnesses later retracted their testimonies during court proceedings, stating that they had been pressured to testify.
During the wave of arrests, family members of the detained journalists, as well as civil society activists and journalists, were banned from leaving the country. The State Border Service informed most of them that their departure had been restricted by a decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, the activists had not been notified of this decision in advance; they only learned about it at the airport while attempting to cross the state border. Human rights defenders and lawyers considered these restrictions unjustified.
The arrests were discussed both domestically and internationally. The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated that freedom of speech is guaranteed in the country and that those arrested were detained not for journalistic activity, but for illegal financing. Opposition leaders and civil society activists described these events as a suppression of press freedom. International human rights organizations referred to the detainees as “political prisoners” and called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them.
Background According to a report by the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Azerbaijan is among the countries where the state of press freedom is considered critical: President Ilham Aliyev, having eliminated any semblance of pluralism, has been waging an uncompromising campaign against all remaining critics since 2014. According to the organization's report, Azerbaijan ranked 154th in the Press Freedom Index in 2022 and 151st in 2023.
In 2021, a new draft law on media was introduced for discussion in Azerbaijan. The stages of discussion and adoption of the law—consisting of 9 chapters and 78 articles—were condemned by both local and international communities. Representatives of independent media stated that the draft law, which drew widespread criticism, was aimed at controlling online media, which in Azerbaijan are freer than traditional media. Representatives of pro-government media organizations, on the other hand, believe that the law was prepared in order to “adapt the media to modern requirements.” Media expert Alasgar Mammadli emphasized that although around 40 proposals were submitted regarding the new draft law, only two were considered, while all the others were rejected. Among the unconsidered proposals, the “most significant issue” was the matter of a unified licensing system, privileges, and the registration of journalists. Alasgar Mammadli noted that “the structure of the regulatory body, its independence, as well as the issue of preventing the mixing of licensed and unlicensed journalistic activities—these aspects, unfortunately, were not taken into account.” Representatives of media outlets that did not criticize the authorities believed that one of the main problems in the country's media sphere was the activity of random media organizations and journalists in the press, and that the new law would regulate these issues. However, experts stated that online media and independent journalists capable of criticism and highlighting problems are the ones most affected. Natig Mammadli, a representative of the Media Development Agency (MEDIA), stated that claims that the draft law violates international law and poses a threat to freedom of expression are unfounded.
According to Vusala Mahirgizi, head of the pro-government media group Azerbaijani Press Agency, the preparation of the new law “On Media” is a positive development. Mehman Aliyev, head of the Turan Information Agency, believes that MEDIA conducted the preparation of the draft law behind closed doors and concealed the process from independent media representatives. “We demanded that it be submitted to the Turan Information Agency for discussion, but it was not provided to us. Other experts were not given access to it either,” Mehman Aliyev added. According to him, the closed nature of the drafting process is aimed at restricting freedom of speech in Azerbaijan.
In January 2023, 40 journalists signed a position paper regarding the media law, particularly concerning the article on the creation of a unified register, which establishes broad conditions for restricting media freedom and freedom of expression. Among the signatories were well-known figures such as media expert Alasgar Mammadli, head of the Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev, editor-in-chief of Toplum TV Khadija Ismayilova, editor-in-chief of Meydan TV Aynur Elgunesh, head of AbzasMedia Ulvi Hasanli and editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgizi, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Azadliq (Freedom) Ganimat Zahid and editor Rovshan Hajibeyli, investigative journalist Hafiz Babali, and political journalist Natig Javadli.
Arrests in November 2023 Starting from November 20, 2023, the team of the Azerbaijani online publication AbzasMedia, known in recent years for its high-profile investigative journalism, faced repression. The outlet's director, Ulvi Hasanli, was detained at night near his home by plainclothes individuals who turned out to be officers of the Main Department of the Baku City Police. Searches were conducted both in his apartment and in the Abzas Media office. According to the police, €40,000 was found on a cabinet in the office corridor.
Ulvi Hasanli stated that he was beaten during his detention. The AbzasMedia team issued a statement saying that Hasanli had been subjected to physical violence during the arrest and held Ilham Aliyev responsible. The journalists of AbzasMedia stated that the detention was connected to Hasanli's journalistic work and that the outlet would continue its activities: “We consider the head of state, Ilham Aliyev, responsible for this unlawful detention. We have published a series of investigations into corruption crimes committed by the country’s president and officials appointed by him, and we believe Hasanli’s detention is directly related to this. We believe the president ordered the arrest of Ulvi Hasanli in order to shut down our outlet and prevent us from informing you about corruption crimes. However, no arrests or other forms of pressure will stop us from telling you the truth,” the statement said.
Ulvi Hasanli и Sevinj VagifgiziNargiz Absalamova и Elnara Gasimova On the night of November 21, upon returning to the country from a trip abroad, the editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia, Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifgizi), was detained directly on the plane. The journalist was taken to her apartment, where a search was conducted. After a search lasting more than two hours, she was brought to the Main Department of the Baku City Police.
A criminal case was initiated against the leadership of AbzasMedia under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan — smuggling committed by a group of persons by prior agreement. By decision of the Khatai District Court, they were placed in pre-trial detention for a period of four months.
On November 22, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan reported that Mahammad Kekalov had been detained on November 20 as part of the criminal case. His detention became known only three days after he had been taken from his home to an unknown destination. Kekalov was involved in social projects and support for people with disabilities, and at AbzasMedia he only acted as an advisor to the outlet's leadership. On November 23, Kekalov was arrested for three months and 27 days on charges of smuggling. He denied the charges.
On November 30, Interior Minister, Colonel-General Mr. Vilayat Eyvazov, responding to an inquiry from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), called claims that the charges against AbzasMedia leadership were linked to their professional activities completely unfounded. According to Eyvazov, the three arrested journalists had transported “a large amount of foreign currency” across Azerbaijan's state border “outside customs control or secretly and without declaration,” and that the €40,000 found in the Abzas Media office was “part” of this smuggled currency.
On November 30, AbzasMedia employee Nargiz Absalamova was arrested after being summoned to the Main Department of the Baku City Police as a witness in the outlet's criminal case. She was also charged with currency smuggling. On December 1, 2023, a court ordered her pre-trial detention for three months. The journalist denied the charges and linked the criminal prosecution to her professional activities.