Baku, Azerbaijan – The reading of the indictment in the high-profile “Toplum TV case” concluded on June 23 at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, presided over by Judge Azer Tagiyev. All ten individuals accused in the case vehemently denied the charges brought against them, asserting that their arrests are politically motivated. The next hearing is scheduled for June 30.
The case involves prominent figures from independent media and civil society, including “Toplum TV” co-founder Alasgar Mammadli, journalists Mushfig Jabbar and Farid Ismayilov, Akif Gurbanov (head of the “Democratic Initiatives Institute” and speaker for the “III Republic Platform”), Ruslan Izzatli (founding member of the “III Republic Platform”), and Democratic Initiatives Institute employees Ali Zeynal, Ramil Babayev, and Ilkin Amrahov, all of whom are currently in custody. Journalist Elmir Abbasov is under police supervision, while Shahnaz Beylarqizi has been placed under house arrest.
Initially, those arrested in the “Toplum TV case” were accused of smuggling under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code. However, these charges were later aggravated on January 17, 2024. The accused consistently reject the allegations, maintaining they are victims of a politically orchestrated crackdown.
During the recent hearing, the final sections of the indictment, specifically those pertaining to Elmir Abbasov, Farid Ismayilov, and Ilkin Amrahov, were read out. The accused did not hold back in their criticism of the investigation and the judicial process.
Journalist Mushfig Jabbar recounted what he described as a mocking interrogation. “They asked me during the investigation if I could run. I said yes, I used to run faster in school. They said, ‘Then, it means you can engage in smuggling,'” Jabbar stated, adding that such an investigation would naturally lead to an equally “pathetic” indictment.
Akif Gurbanov highlighted the vague nature of the charges against him, noting that seven pages of information related to him consisted of just a single, “long and meaningless sentence,” despite the investigation’s claim of a “detailed explanation.” Media expert Alasgar Mammadli labeled the entire set of charges as “completely absurd” and expressed disappointment that the court did not return the “poorly conducted” case to the investigation. “I thought perhaps [the prosecutor] would come to his conscience and say, ‘I don’t want to be a part of this case,'” Mammadli remarked.
The defendants also claimed that pro-government media outlets launched a smear campaign against them during the investigation. They called for “Ictimai TV” (Public TV) to broadcast all court proceedings to reveal the truth, arguing that this falls under the public broadcaster’s mandate. Judge Azer Tagiyev responded that any accredited media outlet could cover the process, but the accused challenged the accreditation requirement, deeming it a violation of freedom of information.
The crackdown on “Toplum TV” began on March 6, 2024, when police searched and sealed the online television channel’s office in Baku. As a result, “Toplum TV” decided to continue its operations from outside Azerbaijan starting in February 2024.
This case is part of a broader trend in Azerbaijan. Since November 2023, approximately 30 journalists and public activists have been arrested in groups, predominantly on smuggling charges. All arrested individuals deny the charges, linking them to their professional activities and political motivations. Local human rights organizations estimate that there are currently around 370 political prisoners in Azerbaijani prisons. However, official Azerbaijani authorities consistently deny that anyone is arrested in the country based on their professional activities or political beliefs, stating that individuals are held accountable solely for their alleged actions.
The international community, alongside local human rights groups, continues to monitor the “Toplum TV case,” with many considering those arrested as political prisoners and urging their immediate release.