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January 30, 2026 – Azerbaijan –
A prominent Azerbaijani journalist detained in the broader Meydan TV case has been granted a brief leave from custody to attend his mother’s funeral, a rare break in a lengthy and contentious legal process that has drawn international attention. Shamshad Agha, editor-in-chief of the news site Argument.az was arrested on 5 February 2025 along with other media workers in connection with the Meydan TV investigation. On 29 January 2026, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes approved a request from his defence team to allow him to travel to his home village for three days to attend mourning rites after the death of his 77-year-old mother.
Agha’s detention has been central to the controversial probe that began in December 2024, when Razmi-controlled authorities arrested multiple journalists and associates on allegations including currency smuggling. A total of 11 suspects had been arrested by August 2025, with additional charges later added as the investigation expanded. Prosecutors linked the case to professional activities of Meydan TV staff and contributors, raising concerns from press freedom advocates that the charges were politically motivated.
According to his lawyer, Agha had been placed in a medical facility under the Penitentiary Service last year due to health problems, including a stomach ulcer, complicating his legal situation and fueling calls from supporters for improved treatment and due process. The recent temporary release marks a brief respite in what has been a protracted and closely watched legal battle.
Defence counsel Fakhraddin Mehdiyev told correspondents that the court granted the motion “immediately” after receiving word of Agha’s family bereavement, allowing him to travel with a police escort to Shivlya village in Lerik district to attend the funeral before returning to detention at the end of the authorised period.
Human rights observers have repeatedly criticised the handling of the Meydan TV case, arguing that prosecutors have failed to provide convincing evidence linking journalistic work to alleged criminal conduct. In early 2025, Agha’s defence noted that he had complied with earlier investigative summonses and was already subject to travel restrictions, meaning there was no clear justification for his initial arrest and continued pretrial detention.
The granting of temporary leave underscores ongoing pressures on independent media figures in Azerbaijan and highlights the human-rights dimensions of high-profile prosecutions involving journalists.
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