Sevinj Vagifgyzy nominated for international journalism award

Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of the Azerbaijani publication Abzas Media, who is in prison, has been nominated for the Freedom of the Press Award of the international organization in defense of journalists.

As "Caucasian Knot" wrote, Abzas Media journalists Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova were transferred at the end of September to a penitentiary complex in the village of Gurumba in the south of Azerbaijan, 250 kilometers from Baku. The journalists and their relatives consider the imprisonment of the convicts in a remote colony to be a biased decision, lawyers pointed out its illegality. On October 18, Vagifgyzy's mother and sister were subjected to harsh treatment by guards at the Lankaran Penitentiary Complex. They were subjected to a harsh search following reports of inmate rights violations.

Vagifgyzy was nominated for the "Courage Award" at the Free Press Awards, presented by a respected international organization dedicated to protecting journalists. The award's organizing committee noted that Sevinj Vagifgizi "remains an unwavering voice for free media in Azerbaijan, defying fear" as she continues to work in prison.

The journalist faces additional pressure in prison due to her refusal to stop working: for example, in the summer, the head of the facility where Sevinj Vagifgizi was held demanded that she stop reporting on human rights violations, threatening to deprive her of access to a fan in the extreme heat. Vagifgizi's colleagues call her transfer to a prison far from the capital a new form of pressure, as it has greatly hindered her access to family members and lawyers.

"Her dedication, her determination in the face of pressure, and her stubborn refusal to remain silent in the face of injustice embody dignity and hope," the award's organizing committee said in a statement. The Freedom of the Press Awards ceremony, for which 29 media representatives from 18 countries have been nominated this year, will take place on November 15 in Paris.

Vagifgizi's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, reported that the defense is currently preparing a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan against the journalist's sentence. Sevinj Vagifgizi remains cheerful and determined to continue her journalistic work, he told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

Seven employees of the online publication Abzas Media (Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Mohammed Kekalov, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Farid Mehralizade, and Elnara Gasimova) were convicted of currency smuggling due to 40,000 euros found in the editorial office. Abzas Media is known for its anti-corruption investigations. You can read about who these high-profile investigations were dedicated to in the "Caucasian Knot" report "Why Abzas Media Didn't Please the Azerbaijani Authorities".