An Azerbaijani journalist has been charged in absentia with incitement against the state

A Baku court has begun hearing the case of France-based editor-in-chief of the Azadliq newspaper, Ganimat Zahid. The journalist denied the charge of inciting violence against the state, calling the criminal case persecution for his work.

As the Caucasian Knot reported , in November, the human rights organization "End Repression in Azerbaijan," founded by Azerbaijani and foreign activists in 2024, reported that since the beginning of 2025, Azerbaijan has opened criminal cases in absentia against 24 government critics abroad—journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. Most of them are accused of openly calling for repression against the state and inciting unrest, the human rights activists noted, naming journalist Ganimat Zahid among those under investigation .

On December 9, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes began the trial of Ganimat Zahid, the France-based editor-in-chief of the Azadliq (Freedom) newspaper, Meydan TV reported on its website.

Ganimat Zahid is accused of openly calling for violence against the state and was arrested in absentia on May 31. The preliminary investigation into the criminal case concluded on November 17.

Zahid does not consider himself guilty and states that this is related to his journalistic activities, the publication notes.

As a reminder, on November 22 , the trial of Tural Sadigly, Elshad Mamedov, Gurban Mamedov, and Suleyman Suleymanli, as well as Ordukhan Teymurkhan (Babirowa), Orkhan Agayev, and Rafael Piriyev, all living abroad, began in Baku .

On November 13, Sevinj Osmangizi, a journalist and head of the YouTube channel Osmanqızı TV who had fled to the United States, was summoned for questioning by the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan. If she failed to appear, the office threatened to sentence her in absentia. Osmangizi's case was opened in February and is being investigated under articles of incitement against the state and calls for mass unrest. The journalist considered her persecution to be an attack on her freedom of speech.

The authorities are using this method to intimidate political emigrants , force them to tone down their criticism, and discredit them in the eyes of the Azerbaijani public as "persons who have committed crimes," stated blogger Tural Sadigli.

Journalists from Abzas Media, Meydan TV, Toplum TV, and Kanal-13 have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. Details are compiled by the "Caucasian Knot" in its report " Serial Arrests of Journalists in Azerbaijan ."

The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest level 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 ." However, Azerbaijani authorities  deny the existence  of political prisoners in the country.