The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) have awarded their 2026 Free Media Pioneer award to exiled Azerbaijani outlets Meydan TV and AbzasMedia.
The joint prize, which also went to the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP), recognises media organisations that bypass censorship to promote independent reporting. Eleven outlets were nominated.
Both Azerbaijani winners have been forced to operate from abroad following a sweeping government crackdown on independent journalism.
“At a time of rising global pressure on press freedom, these organisations have shown immense courage in exposing corruption and human rights abuses,” IPI executive director Scott Griffen said.
Since November 2023, Azerbaijani authorities have arrested more than 20 journalists.
In June 2025, a court in Baku sentenced seven AbzasMedia employees to prison terms ranging from seven and a half to nine years on charges widely condemned by international rights groups.
Meydan TV, founded in 2013, has faced similar targeting. Twelve people linked to the broadcaster were arrested between December 2024 and August 2025 on financial charges, with trials still ongoing.
Despite the threat of long prison sentences, journalists from both outlets have continued writing reports from inside their prison cells.
Meydan TV editor Orkhan Mammad said the award provided vital moral support for reporters facing prosecution.
“For our jailed colleagues, this award is a source of hope, joy, and resilience,” Mammad said. “It is a recognition of their struggle for free speech, journalism, and truth in Azerbaijan.”
Separately, the IPI and IMS named the winners of the 2026 World Press Freedom Hero award.
They are Patricia Evangelista of the Philippines, Monica Gonzalez of Chile, and the independent journalists of Hungary.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, between 24 and 26 July.