The Meydan TV journalists' case has reached court.

The case against Meydan TV journalists has been transferred to the Baku Court of Grave Crimes. A preparatory hearing is scheduled for December 12.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, those arrested in the Meydan TV case were persecuted on the orders of the Azerbaijani leadership for their journalistic activities, one of the defendants, Shamshad Aga, stated in court on December 1.

The preliminary investigation into the Meydan TV case has been completed, and its materials have been transferred to the Baku Court of Grave Crimes for review, Nazim Musayev, a lawyer for one of the defendants, Khayal Agayeva, told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

According to the lawyer, a preparatory hearing is scheduled for December 12. The case will be heard by a panel of judges chaired by Ayten Aliyeva.

According to Musayev, the investigation has not presented any credible evidence of Agayeva's guilt.

"Khayal Agayeva, like the other defendants, was arrested on charges of 'foreign currency smuggling.'" Despite this, for some reason, equipment related to her journalistic work was confiscated from Agayeva during the search. This indicates that she is being persecuted for her journalistic work. Agayeva's other charges are just as absurd and lacking legal basis, as is the smuggling charge," the lawyer said.

An employee of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes confirmed that a preparatory hearing in the case is scheduled for December 12, and that judges Ayten Aliyeva, Vugar Guliyev, and Elmin Rustamov will preside over the proceedings. Representatives of the prosecution were unavailable for comment.

Journalists from other media outlets, including Abzas Media and Kanal-13, have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. On June 20, journalists and employees of Abzas Media were sentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. In court, they denied the charges, emphasizing that they were being persecuted for their professional activities and for investigating corruption.

The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest point in 2024 since the country's 23-year membership in the Council of Europe, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Key Points on the Record Number of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan." At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the existence of political prisoners in the country.