Date of Birth: 9 September 1971
Detained Since: 13 December 2023
Affiliation: Investigative journalist, Turan News Agency; contributor to AbzasMedia

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit illegal entrepreneurship (Art. 192.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit money laundering (Arts. 193-1.3.1, 193-1.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling (Art. 206.4)

• Conspiracy to commit tax evasion (Art. 213.2.1)

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

Conviction and Sentence:
On 20 June 2025, the Baku Assize Court convicted Hafiz Babali and sentenced him to 9 years in prison. His appeal is pending.

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 and aimed at silencing him as a prominent investigative journalist exposing corruption

Summary:
Hafiz Babali is a well-known Azerbaijani investigative journalist who has worked with the Turan News Agency and AbzasMedia. His most recent investigation for AbzasMedia—uncovering a corruption scheme linked to the head of the State Security Service—was, in his words, “the last straw” before his arrest.

He was detained on 13 December 2023 and initially charged with conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling. By the summer of 2024, his charges were escalated as part of the so-called “AbzasMedia case” to include illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax evasion, and forgery.

The prosecution’s case is rooted in €40,000 allegedly discovered in the AbzasMedia office. Yet no evidence connects Hafiz to the funds—no customs records, forensic data, or testimony link him to smuggling or financial wrongdoing. The court relied on speculative associations, fabricated links, and vague legal reasoning—patterns already condemned by the European Court of Human Rights in its rulings on Azerbaijan’s 2013–2014 political repression cases.

Throughout his detention and trial, Hafiz was denied basic procedural safeguards, and pro-government media launched defamatory campaigns against him. Authorities selectively leaked personal files to smear his reputation, while the judiciary failed to uphold fair trial standards.

His arrest fits a broader state-orchestrated campaign against AbzasMedia and critical media in Azerbaijan. Beginning in late 2023, this crackdown has targeted journalists, editors, and contributors with nearly identical charges, signalling a coordinated attempt to paralyse independent journalism.

International organisations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, have condemned his detention and trial as politically motivated and unjust.

Download full legal analysis here as PDF