22:30, 6 February 2025

Rights defenders condemn detentions of journalists in Azerbaijan

Shamshad Aga. Photo: https://avtosfer.az/ru/aktualnye-novosti/zaderzhan-zhurnalist-shamshad-aga-271972

On February 5, Shamshad Aga, the head of the arqument.az news site, was detained; his home was searched, and his computer and mobile phones were seized. He was charged with "smuggling" within the “Meydan TV” case.

On December 6, 2024, the employees of the “Meydan TV”, Ainur Elgunesh, Aitadj Tapdyg, Khayala Agaeva, Aisel Umudova, Natig Djavadly, and the journalist Ramin Deko (Djabrailzade) were detained on suspicion of currency smuggling by prior conspiracy. They have linked their criminal case to their professional activities.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has treated the detention in Baku of Shamshad Aga, the editor-in-chief of the arqument.az independent news website.

Gulnoza Said, the coordinator of the CPJ's Europe and Central Asia programme, has added that "Azeri authorities should immediately end their unprecedented crackdown on the media and release Aga along with other unjustly imprisoned journalists."

According to Shakhla Gumbatova, Shamshad Aga's advocate, the arrested “Meydan TV” journalists are among those working for independent media outlets accused since late 2023 of receiving Western funding amid the worsening Azerbaijani-West relations. The total number of accused media professionals is 21.

According to 2024 CPJ's annual prison census, Azerbaijan was among the top 10 countries with the highest number of imprisoned journalists.

The latest detentions of journalists in Azerbaijan were also condemned by the international organization “Reporters without Borders” (in French - Reporters sans frontières (RSF)).

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 6, 2025 at 12:48 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: СK correspondent