Azerbaijan court places journalist Shahnaz Beylergyzy under house arrest
Arrests in Azerbaijan – Shahnaz Beylergyzy
Today, Azerbaijani journalist Shahnaz Beylergyzy, who was detained as part of the “Toplum TV case,” was placed under house arrest.
The Khatai District Court in Baku reviewed Beylergyzy’s (Huseynova’s) request to change her pretrial detention to house arrest.
During the hearing, presided over by Judge Fuad Akhundov, the court granted the request and ruled to release the journalist under house arrest. She was freed directly in the courtroom.
Shahnaz Beylergyzy was detained on 5 February. The following day, she was placed in pretrial detention for three months and 15 days.
Beylergyzy has two underage children in her care and suffers from serious health issues, including diabetes and hypertension. Previously, she had been banned from leaving the country.
Like other individuals arrested in connection with the Toplum TV case, Beylergyzy has been charged under Articles 162-1.1 (engaging workers without a legally binding employment contract), 192.3.2 (large-scale illegal entrepreneurship), 193-1.3.1 (money laundering of criminally obtained assets), 193-1.3.2 (the same offense on a large scale), 206.4 (smuggling committed by an organized group), and 213.2.1 (tax evasion committed by an organized group) of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code.
These charges carry a potential prison sentence of up to 12 years.
Shahnaz Beylergyzy was a host of a socio-political program on the independent online media outlet. Toplum TV. She had been questioned multiple times as a witness in the criminal case against the outlet.
In March 2024, Toplum TV‘s office was raided by police, sealed off, and had its technical equipment confiscated. All staff members present at the time were taken to the police station, though some were later released. Initially, seven people were arrested in the criminal case against Toplum TV, while two others were placed under police supervision. One of them, Farid Ismayilov, was arrested on 17 January 2025.
