Date of Birth: 13 March 1971
Detained Since: 6 March 2024
Affiliation: Independent journalist; reporter for Meydan TV; former correspondent for Bizim Yol
Recipient of the Gerd Bucerius Prize for Press Freedom in Eastern Europe

Charges:

Initial charge (6 December 2024):

• Conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling (Art. 206.3.2)

Additional charges announced on 28 August 2025:

• Conspiracy to commit illegal entrepreneurship in the form of an organised criminal group and in an aggravated and significant amount (Art. 192.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit money laundering in the form of an organised criminal group and a substantial amount (Arts. 193-1.3.1, 193-1.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling in the form of an organised criminal group (Art. 206.4)

• Conspiracy to commit tax evasion in the form of an organised criminal group (Art. 213.2.1)

• Forgery and use of forged documents (Arts. 320.1, 320.2)

Conviction and Sentence:

Trial ongoing before the Baku Assize Court. No conviction or sentence to date.

Political Prisoner Status:
His detention meets criteria (a) and (e) of PACE Resolution 1900 (2012):

• Violation of freedom of expression and association under the ECHR

• His prosecution is politically motivated, aimed at silencing a prominent media figure and intimidating independent journalism through retaliatory financial-crime accusations.

Summary:

Natig Javadli is a veteran Azerbaijani journalist with decades of experience in print and online media. He is widely known for sustained reporting and interviews on politically sensitive topics, including governance, human rights, and media freedom. His professional standing has been internationally recognised, notably through the Gerd Bucerius Prize for Press Freedom in Eastern Europe.

He was arrested on 6 December 2024 during coordinated police actions against journalists linked to Meydan TV and charged with conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling. In August 2025, the authorities expanded the accusations to include alleged illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax offences, and document-related charges—mirroring the charge-expansion pattern applied across the “Meydan TV case.”

Since his arrest, Natig Javadli has remained in pre-trial detention, with courts repeatedly rejecting requests for release or alternative measures. Public reporting has raised concerns about mistreatment in custody, procedural violations, and reliance on non-transparent “operational information.” His prosecution is widely viewed by press-freedom and human-rights organisations as part of the broader crackdown on independent media and civil society in Azerbaijan that intensified from autumn 2023 onward.

Download full legal analysis here as PDF