Eighth journalist detained in Azerbaijan in less than a month
Persecution of journalists in Azerbaijan
Another journalist, Hafiz Babaly, has been detained in Azerbaijan. According to preliminary data, he is being detained in the case of Abzas Media. This is the eighth journalist arrested in less than a month. Yesterday, journalist Teymur Karimov was arrested on charges of extortion by threats.
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A fifth person has been detained in the Abzas Media case
On December 13, the police detained Hafiz Babaly, head of the economic department of “Turan” news agency and investigative journalist.
Babala’s family reported that today an investigator of the Baku City Police Department and eight police officers searched his house.
“Hafiz was stopped by the police on his way to work and handcuffed. Then they searched our house for more than two hours. They searched everywhere. They even checked the children’s books. They took away Hafiz’s computer, phone and a number of documents related to his activities,” a relative of the journalist told Voice of America.
He was without a lawyer during the detention and search.
It is not yet known what exactly he is accused of. It has not been possible to get information from the press service of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry about the arrest.
A few days ago, Babaly was questioned in the Baku City Police Department about the activities of the internet publication Abzas Media. All his bank accounts were blocked, even his disability pension account.
Babaly is the author of numerous studies on the corruption of high-ranking officials. He was honored with an international award for his research.
After his interrogation by the police, Babaly wrote on social media:
“In preparing these investigations, I, by the peculiarities of the genre, often had to work with hundreds of sources and documents as a professional researcher. I wrote down to the smallest detail what the prosecutor’s office “does not see” and presented everything to the reader.
If I lived in another country, I would hear thanks at the state level for these articles. Criminal cases would have been brought against those who got rich illegally. But my fate in Azerbaijan, as you can see, is just the opposite: the government persecutes those who criticize it.”
Four journalists have already been arrested in the case of Abzas Media – Ulvi Hasanli, director of the publication, Muhammed Kekalov, deputy director, Sevinj Vagifgizi, editor-in-chief, and Nargiz Absalamova, reporter.
YouTube channel executive charged with extortion
On December 12, the Narimanovo District Court of Baku elected a preventive measure in the form of arrest for 4 months against the head of YouTube channel “Kanal-11” Teymur Karimov.
Charges have been brought against him under Articles 182.2.2 (extortion by threats, committed repeatedly) and 182.2.4 (extortion with the purpose of seizing property in a significant amount) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, said lawyer Nemat Kerimli.
Kerimov denies the charges and linked the criminal case to his professional activities. According to the lawyer, Kerimov said he was beaten at the police department. The defense will appeal to the prosecutor’s office in connection with the beating.
The journalist was detained around noon on December 11, only a day later the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed his criminal prosecution.
Kerimov’s colleagues believe that he is being persecuted for his journalistic activities, for preparing reports on pressing social issues and human rights violations. Over the past seven years, he has been repeatedly detained and physically pressured in connection with his journalistic activities.
Amnesty International expressed alarm at the repression of independent media outlets
Amnesty International has expressed alarm over the intensification of repression against independent media in Azerbaijan.
“The arrest of Teymur Karimov is in line with a disturbing trend of false accusations against journalists and other critical voices in Azerbaijan. We are witnessing an escalation of repression against independent media, which began with the arrest of the management of independent resources Abzas Media and Kanal-13 in late November,” Amnesty International’s South Caucasus researcher Natalia Nozadze said.
She compared what is happening to the repression against civil society and independent media in 2012-2015.
“What is happening is alarmingly reminiscent of the repression against independent media and non-governmental organizations observed in 2012-2015, which destroyed civil society in Azerbaijan, led to the closure of critical media and public associations, as well as the persecution and arbitrary arrests of dozens of people – human rights defenders and activists.”
