An Azerbaijani court on Friday convicted seven journalists, including one from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and six from Abzas Media, on multiple charges, sentencing them to 7.5 to 9 years in prison. The journalists and international rights groups condemn the charges as politically motivated and linked to their investigative journalism exposing corruption. This marks the latest escalation in Azerbaijan's crackdown on independent media, following similar arrests and office closures since November 2023.
Azerbaijan jails 7 journalists in latest media crackdown on free speech
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️An Azerbaijani court on Friday convicted seven journalists, including one from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and six from Abzas Media, on multiple charges, sentencing them to 7.5 to 9 years in prison. The journalists and international rights groups condemn the charges as politically motivated and linked to their investigative journalism exposing corruption. This marks the latest escalation in Azerbaijan's crackdown on independent media, following similar arrests and office closures since November 2023.
Trending- 1 2014: RFE/RL's bureau in Azerbaijan shut down.
- 2 2017: RFE/RL's domestic website blocked in Azerbaijan.
- 3 November 2023: Six Abzas Media journalists arrested; authorities claim to find 40,000 euros cash in their office.
- 4 December 2024: Six more journalists arrested on smuggling charges, including five from Meydan TV.
- 5 March 2024: Azerbaijani authorities target Toplum TV with raids and arrests.
- 6 May 2024: Farid Mehralizada arrested as part of the Abzas Media case.
- 7 Later 2024: Additional charges (illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, document forgery) levied against Mehralizada and Abzas Media journalists.
- 8 Earlier this year: Press credentials withdrawn for Voice of America and Bloomberg; BBC's office in Azerbaijan shut down.
- 9 Friday (current day): Court convicts Farid Mehralizada and six Abzas Media journalists, sentencing them to 7.5 to 9 years in prison.
- Severe prison sentences for journalists.
- Further suppression of independent media and free speech in Azerbaijan.
- International condemnation.
- Chilling effect on journalism in the country.
What: A court in Azerbaijan convicted seven journalists (one from RFE/RL, six from Abzas Media) on multiple charges, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. The journalists and international rights groups assert the charges are politically motivated and a crackdown on free speech and investigative journalism.
When: Friday (verdict); November 2023 (Abzas Media arrests); December 2024 (more journalists arrested); March 2024 (Toplum TV raids); May 2024 (Mehralizada arrest); earlier this year (press credentials withdrawn/office shut down).
Where: Azerbaijan (specifically Baku); Tallinn, Estonia (reporting location).
Why: The Azerbaijani authorities are cracking down on independent media and free speech, targeting journalists who expose corruption. The official charges include illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, document forgery, and conspiring foreign currency into Azerbaijan.
How: The authorities used the judicial system to press fabricated economic charges, conduct raids, and make arrests against journalists and news outlets.