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IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety

04/01 2022

Azerbaijan ranks fifth in non-execution of ECHR decisions

03/29 2022

Politically motivated persecutions in Azerbaijan have not abated – Amnesty International

IRFS: The murder of Elmar Huseynov became the beginning of destroying the freedom of expression in Azerbaijan, which has to be prevented

The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) appeal to the authorities of Azerbaijan with demand to solve the murder of journalist Elmar Huseynov and punish both the ones that ordered and executed the shocking crime committed 17 years ago – on March 2 2005. IRFS deem that one of the major critics of the present authorities, editor-in-chief of a popular independent publisher ‘Monitor’, killed with shots at door of his house, became the most symbolic victim of the independent journalism of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s Highest Court Confirms Jail Term for Kanal 13 Director

Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, who lives in Georgia and heads the Azel TV website, has been arrested again for seven days.

Azerbaijani Authorities Ban Journalist Ruslan Suleymanov from Re‑Entering the Country

The court has once again denied the imprisoned journalist’s request to marry.

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety

Azerbaijan’s Highest Court Confirms Jail Term for Kanal 13 Director

The top court in Azerbaijan has confirmed the sentence for Aziz Orucov, who leads the online TV station Kanal 13. On November 13, Judge Ilkin Rajabov led a session where the court turned down an appeal from Orucov's lawyers. This...

Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, who lives in Georgia and heads the Azel TV website, has been arrested again for seven days.

His wife, Sevinj Sadygova, shared this on her Facebook page. The reason given for his arrest is that he repeatedly blocked a road. Sadygov had been arrested before for 14 days and fined a total of 270,000 Lari (about 170,000 Manats)...

Azerbaijani Authorities Ban Journalist Ruslan Suleymanov from Re‑Entering the Country

The Azerbaijani government declined to renew the permanent residence permit of Ruslan Suleymanov, an orientalist and journalist, and has barred him from entering the country for a year. Suleymanov shared this news on his Telegram channel. Suleymanov, an ethnic Azerbaijani with...

The court has once again denied the imprisoned journalist’s request to marry.

The Court of Appeal rejected Aytac Tapdig's appeal regarding the marriage restriction. On November 5, the Baku Court of Appeal reviewed the appeal filed by Aytac Tapdig, an imprisoned journalist involved in the MeydanTV case, concerning the denial of his marriage...

Journalist Ulviyya Ali Denied Lawyer Access.

Reports indicate that journalist Ulviyya Ali (Guliyeva), currently detained in connection with the Meydan TV case, has been barred from meeting with her legal counsel. Ali's mother, Ilaha Mehmanli, informed Meydan TV that the denial stemmed from Ali's objection to a...

Toplum TV Case: Witnesses Say Statements Obtained Under Pressure

The Baku Grave Crimes Court held the latest hearing in the Toplum TV case on November 3, with Judge Azer Tagiyev presiding. Arrests related to this case started in March 2024. Ten people face charges in this case. Originally accused of smuggling,...

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has named Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev an enemy of press freedom.

RSF included Aliyev and Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgia's Georgian Dream party, on its list of press freedom predators. The announcement came on November 2, the World Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. RSF profiled 34 individuals and groups...

Convicted Journalist H. Babaly Complains About Being Deprived of His Pension

Investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, convicted in the Abzas Media case, issued a statement demanding the lifting of the ban on him using his bank account to receive his disability pension. In the post, distributed on the journalist's Facebook account, he notes...

Farid Mehdralizade Honored with US National Press Club Award

Journalist Farid Mehdralizade, currently serving a sentence in an Azerbaijani prison, is among 9 journalists awarded the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award 2025 by the US National Press Club. All these journalists were associated with the US Agency for Global...

Azerbaijan claims BBC Azerbaijan staff are working illegally in the country

APA, a pro-government media source, reports that staff from BBC Azerbaijan have continued working there despite the government's order to shut it down earlier in 2025. APA cites the Azerbaijan Media Development Agency as its source. The agency stated that doing...

SSS Raids Hürriyet Office, Arrests Editor Vugar Mammadov; Tied to Mehdiyev Case

On October 30, the State Security Service (SSS) raided the offices of Hürriyet newspaper, its website Hurriyyet.az, and Hurriyyet TV, arresting editor-in-chief Vugar Mammadov. The day before, on October 29, SSS agents searched the media group's headquarters, seizing computers and papers....

The Toplum TV Case: What You Need to Know

The Toplum TV case involves criminal charges against journalists and activists linked to Toplum TV, an independent media source. They were first charged with smuggling, but later faced more serious accusations. The defendants deny everything, claiming the arrests are politically...

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Azerbaijan’s Highest Court Confirms Jail Term for Kanal 13 Director

Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, who lives in Georgia and heads the Azel TV website, has been arrested again for seven days.

Azerbaijani Authorities Ban Journalist Ruslan Suleymanov from Re‑Entering the Country

The court has once again denied the imprisoned journalist’s request to marry.

Journalist Ulviyya Ali Denied Lawyer Access.

Toplum TV Case: Witnesses Say Statements Obtained Under Pressure

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has named Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev an enemy of press freedom.

Convicted Journalist H. Babaly Complains About Being Deprived of His Pension

Farid Mehdralizade Honored with US National Press Club Award

Azerbaijan claims BBC Azerbaijan staff are working illegally in the country

SSS Raids Hürriyet Office, Arrests Editor Vugar Mammadov; Tied to Mehdiyev Case

The Toplum TV Case: What You Need to Know

Georgian Court, in addition to arrest, also sentenced the Azerbaijani journalist to a fine

In addition to administrative arrest for 14 days, Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov was also fined 270,000 Lari (approximately 100,000 US dollars) on charges of "illegal road blocking." On October 17, the 324th day of continuous protests in Georgia, Afgan Sadigov burned...

Baku Court Upholds Marriage Ban for Arrested Journalist

On October 23, the Khatai District Court of Baku considered the complaint filed by Meydan TV journalist Aitac Tapdig regarding her marriage with animal rights activist Kamran Mammadli in Baku Detention Center No. 1. Mammadli reported that this was the first...

Family of Jailed Abzas Media Editor Alleges Abuse During Prison Visit

Sevinj Vagifqizi, the jailed editor of Abzas Media, had family members who say they were abused by staff at the Lankaran Penitentiary Complex during a recent visit. These incidents, including forced searches and privacy breaches, allegedly happened on October 18,...

October 16, 2025: Ali Zeynal Reportedly Allowed Only Glass-Barrier Meeting with Family

It has been reported that Ali Zeynal, an employee of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI) detained in connection with the "Toplum TV case", was only allowed to meet with his family behind a glass barrier at the Baku Investigative...

Arrested Journalist Shamshad Aga Denied Release from Pre-Trial Detention for Relative’s Memorial Service

On October 14, the Khatai District Court reviewed a petition to grant temporary leave from the Pre-Trial Detention Center (SIZO) to Shamshad Aga (Aghayev), the head of the arqument.az website and a person arrested in the Meydan TV case, so...

ECHR Finds Azerbaijan Violated Journalist Khadija Ismayilova’s Right to Fair Trial

Strasbourg, 14 October 2025 — The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) today announced its decision on the complaint filed by investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova against Azerbaijan. The ECHR ruled unanimously that Azerbaijan had violated Ismayilova’s right to a fair...

Ulviyya Ali: “Political prisoners are not included in the list of ombudsman representatives visiting the prison”

Political prisoners across Azerbaijan are reporting deteriorating detention conditions and health crises, while representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman have been accused of deliberately neglecting political detainees during recent prison visits. Journalist Ulviyya Ali (Guliyeva), who is currently detained in...

MP Razi Nurullayev Calls to “Control” Sancaq Media

Azerbaijan’s Milli Mejlis member Razi Nurullayev sharply criticized the media network “Sancaq Media.” According to him, some recent publications allegedly contain criticism of the police and the prosecutor’s office. Nurullayev stated that such materials “undermine stability” and called for them to...

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04/01 2022

Azerbaijan ranks fifth in non-execution of ECHR decisions

Azerbaijan ranks fifth among the member countries of the Council of Europe in terms of non-execution of decisions of the

03/29 2022

Politically motivated persecutions in Azerbaijan have not abated – Amnesty International

Amnesty International published its annual report on the world human rights situation on March 29. The part concerning Azerbaijan indicates

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IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety​

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety​

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety​

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety

IRFS - Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety