Caspian Wire: Families of Azerbaijani journalists targeted | September 2025
Families of imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan face increasing rights violations. From travel bans and prison transfers to dismissals and attacks, September saw escalating rights violations in Azerbaijan.
Families of imprisoned journalists face rights violations
On September 28, Rubaba Guliyeva, the wife of imprisoned Abzas Media director Ulvi Hasanli, was informed she had a travel ban ahead of her trip to Strasbourg. Guliyeva was scheduled to board a flight and attend the Vaclav Havel Award ceremony, for which Hasanli was nominated. Such rights restrictions are often used against family members of those behind bars on politically motivated grounds. In addition to travel bans, family members also faced blocked bank accounts and bank cards, restricted or abrupt phone conversations, denied prison visits, and cut state benefits.
Abzas Media journalists transferred to a different prison facility
Journalists Sevinc Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, and Elnara Gasimova were transferred to a prison in the Southern Azerbaijan province of Lenkoran on September 26. All three are registered as residents of Baku, yet they were relocated without justification or notice to their lawyers and families. Journalists themselves were unaware where they were being transferred, and were told to pack within an hour. They only learned the location of the prison once they were moved. Separately, all three journalists complained that their personal belongings were stolen or missing.
According to lawyer Fariz Namazli, there are several European Court of Human Rights cases in which a decision to relocate a prisoner to a location far from their registered address has been deemed unlawful and a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The journalists informed their families that they planned to challenge this decision in court.
Several employees received warnings, and at least one employee was fired from his job
Heydar Aliyev (not related to the ruling family) was fired from his job at AzParking after giving an interview to the independent Meydan TV outlet. The story featured employee revelations about difficult working conditions, including one-time-only bathroom breaks during 8-hour work shifts. Several employees received warnings, and at least one employee, Aliyev, was fired from his job.
Separately, labor rights activist Sara Rahimova, who spoke to Meydan TV, also received a phone call from the Directorate for Combating Drugs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Police Major Anar Babayev called Rahimova, informing her of a complaint filed against the activist. Rahimova was also called in for questioning. After sharing this on her social media, she was called again and told by police Major Babayev that he was filing a complaint against Rahimova.
Journalist Aziz Orucov has been refused early release
The judge refused the motion to release Kanal 13 director Aziz Orucov on early release. Orucov is receiving neurological treatment at the prison facility and has two months and two days left of his original sentence. Yet, the Ministry of Justice refused to approve Orucov’s release.
Orucov was detained in November 2023. He was initially charged with illegal construction, which the journalist denied. Additional charges of smuggling were brought against the journalist in December 2023. In February 2025, the journalist was sentenced to two years in prison, with the smuggling charges dropped.
University teacher dismissed
Yusif Bidan was hired to teach a literature course at the Western Caspian University in September. Three days after starting his employment, Bidan was informed that he had been dismissed from his job without explanation. Bidan said he intends to pursue the case in court and argued his dismissal is related to his social media posts. The university abstained from making any statements or speaking to the media.
Azerbaijan extends special quarantine regime, again
The special quarantine regime introduced during the COVID pandemic was extended until January 1, 2026. Previously, it was extended until October 1, 2025. Azerbaijan shut down all its land borders at the start of the pandemic. Five years later, it continues to keep its borders shut. Initially, the primary justification was the spread of the virus. However, since March 2024, authorities have cited national security concerns as the primary reason for keeping the country’s land borders closed.
Azerbaijan will continue to host the Formula 1 race until 2030
Baku was added to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2016. Since then, the capital has welcomed the show’s fans every year. The most recent race was held in September 2025.
SOCAR Trading’s former boss arrested
On September 8, Adnan Ahmadzade was sent into four months of pretrial detention over embezzlement and suspicion of undermining state economic security. Ahmadzade was appointed the head of SOCAR (the State Oil Company) Trading in 2018. Before that, he served in various positions within the State Oil Company.
Trans woman attacked in Baku
On September 19, a group of three men threw rocks at a trans woman in the capital, Baku, as per the video footage shared by the perpetrators on social media. In a statement issued by a group of activists from various women’s and LGBTQI rights organizations, a public call to action was made to hold the perpetrators accountable. The statement also questioned the authorities for failing to offer better protection mechanisms and for instilling transphobia in society in Azerbaijan.
Journalists arrested in connection with Meydan TV face detention extensions
On September 16, the Khatai district court extended the pre-trial detention period of three journalists detained in connection with Meydan TV. They are Shamshad Agha (Aghayev), Ulviyya Ali (Guliyeva), and Fatima Movlamli. In three separate trials on September 16, all three had their detentions extended by an additional three months. Separately on September 9, the appeal court rejected the motion raised by Fatima Movlamli’s lawyer to release the journalist under house arrest.
On September 17, 20, and 22nd, Nurlan Gahramanli (Libre), Aynur Gambarova, Aysel Umudova, Natig Javadli, Ramin Jabrayilzade, Khayala Aghayeva, and Aytac Tapdiq had their pre-trial detentions extended by an additional three months.
Anar Mammadli and Anar Abdulla’s trial resumes
On September 22, the hearing in the case of arrested civil society activists Anar Mammadli and Anar Abdulla resumed. During the hearing, a motion to release Abdulla under house arrest was rejected. Testifying in court the same day, Anar Mammadli said there was no evidence backing the charges and the reasons for their arrest. The civil society veteran stressed that his arrest was purely due to his work in election monitoring.
Toplum TV trial resumes
On September 15, Toplum TV journalists and individuals arrested in connection with Toplum TV presented their testimonies at the Baku Grave Crimes Court. The hearing continued on September 22, during which Ruslan Izzatli, one of the founders of the political movement 3rd Republic and arrested along with Toplum TV and International Democratic, continued his testimony. Izzatli stated that the alleged cash found in his residence was planted, adding that if the money was his, then why was he not using it to pay the mortgage, and if he was a criminal, why was he not in hiding?
Blogger living in exile sentenced in absentia
Mahammad Mirzali, a France-based exiled blogger who survived multiple physical attacks in the past years, was sentenced to six and a half years in absentia on bogus charges, including inciting people to overthrow the state.
Several cases of child abuse documented
At least three separate cases of minors being subjected to violence were reported in September. In one instance, a 16-year-old girl from Aghdam was raped by a group of men; in another, a 15-year-old boy from Nakhchivan was raped by three military officers; and in Sabirabad, a 14-year-old girl was engaged to a 20-year-old.
The police prevent political activists from visiting historical monuments in Baku
A group of opposition political party members, including Ali Karimli, the leader of the opposition Popular Front party, and Jamil Hasanli, the leader of the National Council, were stopped by the Baku police while attempting to visit two historical monuments in the capital.
At least one member of the Popular Front party was dismissed from his job for attending the organized visit.
Berlin exhibition features jailed Azerbaijani women journalists
An art exhibition in Berlin titled “Women behind bars” featured portraits of Azerbaijani women journalists. The exhibition took place on the sidelines of a festival organized by Free Voices Collective and the In the Mountains organizations.
Appeal court rules to keep scholar behind bars
On September 3, the Baku Appealate Court ruled to keep jailed scholar, peace activist, Bahruz Samadov behind bars. Of the 20 motions brought up in court by Samadov’s lawyer, none were approved. Samadov announced that he would start a hunger strike as of September 4 in protest. A week later, Samadov stopped the hunger strike following pleas from his grandmother.
Samadov was arrested in August 2024. He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars in June 2025.
The decision to transfer the labor rights activist to a security prison remains
Elvin Mustafayev was transferred to a high-security prison facility in July 2025. Despite the appeal against this decision, the Baku Appealate Court ruled to keep the activist in said prison, citing his misbehavior and activism as valid reasons for the transfer and for keeping him there.
Mustafayev considers the decision political. The labor rights activist was sentenced to three years in prison in January 2023 on fabricated charges.
Civil society activists are facing additional charges
In early February 2025, Azerbaijani authorities reopened a dormant criminal investigation targeting civil society organizations and their leaders, which was initially opened on April 22, 2014 (Criminal case No. 142006023). On March 14, 2025, Azerbaijani authorities conducted coordinated home raids and arrests targeting several representatives. On September 3, it was reported that the charges had been aggravated. According to lawyer Fariz Namazli, who represents Bashir Suleymanli, his defendant was initially charged under Articles 193-1.3.2 (legalization of large amounts of property obtained through criminal means), 308.2 (abuse of official authority resulting in serious consequences), and 313 (forgery by an official) of the Criminal Code.
The leader of the opposition party remains without a passport
Ali Karimli, leader of the opposition Popular Front party, has not had his passport renewed since 2006. Despite multiple attempts and the European Court ruling, the leader of an opposition party remains without a travel document. Karimli informed local media that he had been invited to attend this year’s Warsaw Security Forum; however, he was unable to travel due to a lack of a valid travel document. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2016 that the politician’s right to freedom of movement was violated and that the authorities must pay the opposition politician 8,600EUR in compensation. Despite the decision, no changes have been made, and Karimli remains unable to travel.
Jailed journalist on hunger strike
Polad Aslanov said he was starting a hunger strike in protest of the treatment he was subjected to at Prison No. 15, where he is serving a 13-year sentence handed to him in 2019. Aslanov went through a medical check-up in July, and the doctor on call informed Aslanov that he may have a liver condition. Since then, Aslanov has been trying to receive medical exam results to proceed with a suitable treatment; however, the new doctor appointed at the medical ward of the prison facility has not provided relevant medical check-up documents. The doctor also informed Aslanov that his condition was satisfactory, but without any medical proof. Aslanov has also called on the Ministry of Justice to investigate poor prison conditions, corruption, and graft inside the prison, so far, to no avail. In protest, the journalist announced that he would go on a hunger strike on August 29.
Aslanov was an editor of xeberman.az and press.az news sites before his arrest.
On September 24, after 23 days, journalist Polad Aslanov ended his hunger strike, having been promised that the Penitentiary Prison would meet his demands.