Alesker Mammadli complained about the lack of medical care in the pretrial detention center.

During the Toplum TV trial, the health of the accused founder, Alesker Mammadli, worsened. Doctors in the pretrial detention center failed to conduct regular examinations on him, contrary to the judge's orders.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the activists and journalists arrested in the Toplum TV case, who were initially accused of currency smuggling, were charged in January with new offenses under six criminal counts. They face up to 12 years in prison. Toplum TV positioned itself as an independent platform for expressing diverse opinions on socio-political and socio-economic events. On February 10, Toplum TV announced the suspension of its activities in Azerbaijan. At the November 24 hearing, the defendants demanded that the head of the Azerbaijan Customs Committee be summoned to court, but the court refused to consider the motion. At the January 5 hearing, they challenged the court and called the inclusion of information about their foreign trips in the list of evidence unfounded.

At the Toplum TV trial in the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on January 12, the examination of documents in the case file continued. In particular, protocols on searches at the Toplum TV office and the defendants' apartments were read out, an activist observing the trial told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In connection with this, one of the defendants, Ilkin Amrakhov, an employee of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, stated that he was subjected to pressure during the search of his apartment.

The young man said that security forces forced him to handle foreign currency bills they had planted under the threat of arresting Amrakhov's grandfather. Therefore, the fingerprints of the defendant were found on the money, the source reported.

During the hearing, Toplum TV founder Alesker Mammadli reported health issues. He recalled that although the judges at the previous hearing ordered regular medical examinations in the pretrial detention center, doctors had not visited him once in the past week. The judges ignored his statement.

After the hearing, Alesker Mammadli fell ill in the courtroom. A doctor was called to his room and he was taken back to the pretrial detention center after receiving medical assistance, the activist observing the trial continued.

Alesker Mammadli's brother, Nasimi Mammadli, told a Caucasian Knot correspondent that despite the discovery of thyroid tumors in the Toplum TV founder, he was still not provided with the necessary conditions for surgery at a specialized civilian clinic.

Nasimi Mammadli noted that due to his brother's illness, he suffers from periodic shortness of breath, insomnia, and feels lethargic.

An employee of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes informed a Caucasian Knot correspondent that the next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 19. Representatives of the prosecution were unavailable for comment.

Journalists from other media outlets, including Meydan TV, Abzas Media, and Kanal-13, have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. This can be read in the "Caucasian Knot" report "Serial Arrests of Journalists in Azerbaijan." On June 20, journalists and employees of Abzas Media weresentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. They denied the charges in court, emphasizing that they were being persecuted for their professional activities and investigations of corruption.