According to lawyer Fariz Namazli, the court has granted an early release to Raji and Vakil Imanov, brothers of Gunel Movlud, a journalist cooperating with the independent online television Meydan TV which reports on corruption and other illegal actions of the government. The Imanov were released on the ground that they have served one-third of their sentences. Raji and Vakil Imanov were arrested in October 2015. They were charged under Article 234.

Prosecutor General has not granted a complaint filed by Aytaj Ahmadov, a journalist collaborating with the government critic and independent online television Meydan TV, over her arrest by the Main Organized Crime Department (MOCD) on September 16 2015, illegal search and seizure of her computer, and her subjection to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment during her detention at MOCD. The Prosecutor General’s Office refused to launch a criminal

The independent online television Meydan TV, which reports on the corruption and other illegal actions of the government, has been targeted by the authorities. Founded in May 2013, Meydan TV is an internet-based television reporting on human rights abuses and government corruption. The TV channel is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and cooperates with different journalists who are based in Baku. According to lawyer Elchin Sadigov, in August

Court Rejects Motions by Emin Milli’s Brother-In-Law  Summary: Hearing 7 (February 15, 2016)   Ø  The court denied Adil Ismayilov's motion to interrogate investigator Shovgi Ahmadov and the chief operating officer for important cases Elshan Jahangirov as witnesses in court; Ø  The lawyer's second motion to submit a copy of the logbook from Baku City Main Police Office was similarly rejected; Ø  Adil Ismayilov filed

  Summary: Hearing 5 (January 29)   Ø  Nazim Agabayov’s lawyer, Adil Ismayilov, filed a written motion requesting that copies of the act on taking Nazim Agabayov to the forensic examination office for drug test and back and the spectrogram that needed to be attached to the expert opinion should be presented to the court, and the forensic expert should be summoned and questioned as a witness; Ø  The judge said he would

Summary: Hearing 4 (January 21)   Ø  Naib Omarov, an employee of Baku City Main Police Office's Drug Enforcement Department, testified that he had not seen Nazim Agabayov being intimidated and that at the time of arrest, Agabayov's lawyer was called to the Baku City Main Police Office;   Ø  The Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a letter that it was technically impossible to examine the recordings from the security cameras

  Shirin Abbasov, a freelance journalist collaborating with Meydan TV, was sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention in September 2015. While in detention, he was prevented from meeting with his lawyer, Elchin Sadigov. After his release, Shirin Abbasov gave a written statement revealing that he had been subjected to torture at the Main Organized Crime Department (MOCD), and forced to give a statement to the authorities. On 15 December

On December 28, Baku Grave Crimes Court, chaired by judge Afgan Hajiyev, continued the hearing on the case of Nazim Agabeyov, the brother-in-law of Meydan TV director Emin Milli. At the hearing, the public prosecutor announced the indictment. Nazim Agabeyov stands accused of obtaining and possessing six grams of heroin with the aim to resell. The judge then asked if the indictment was clear to Nazim Agabeyov. (more…)

On Tuesday (December 22) Baku’s Grave Crimes Court held a preparatory hearing in the case of Nazim Agabeyov, a brother-in-law of activist Emin Milli.   Agabeyov  was arrested in Baku on July 27 on drug-related charges. Emin Milli, director of a Berlin-based media channel, Meydan TV,  says the charges are “bogus and absurd ”. In the course of the hearing, Nazim Agabeyov’s lawyer Adil Ismayilov filed a motion to discontinue

  On November 19, Shirin Abbasov, a journalist cooperating with Meydan TV, said that he has been threatened by employees of the Main Organized Crime Department (MOCD). According to the journalist, despite having served his prison sentence, official harassment is continuing. “I just go to university and do not engage in other activity. But the MOCD and the MNS (Ministry of National Security) are threatening me with arrest and even death. (more…)