Azerbaijan’s Crackdown on Independent Journalists Intensifies with Latest Arrest

February 28, 2025 – Azerbaijan – 

Azerbaijan intensified its ongoing crackdown on independent media by arresting Fatima Movlamli, the tenth journalist connected to the Meydan TV case. On February 28, 2025, authorities detained Movlamli on charges of smuggling after raiding her home, where they confiscated €2,000 in cash along with electronic devices. Movlamli’s family has strongly denied the allegations, stating the money did not belong to her and asserting that the charges are politically motivated.

Movlamli’s arrest follows a string of detentions targeting journalists and staff linked to Meydan TV, a prominent independent news outlet critical of the Azerbaijani government. In December 2024, six Meydan TV employees were arrested on similar smuggling charges, followed by further arrests in February 2025, including journalists Shamshad Agha and Nurlan Gahramanli. Those detained have denied all wrongdoing, maintaining that their prosecution is an attempt to silence dissent and restrict press freedom in the country.

Human Rights Watch and other international organizations have raised serious concerns about the Azerbaijani government’s treatment of journalists, noting that at least nine women journalists are currently imprisoned or under house arrest. These actions reflect a broader strategy by authorities to suppress independent reporting and intimidate media professionals who expose corruption, human rights abuses, and government misconduct.

Despite mounting international condemnation, Azerbaijani officials have defended the arrests, insisting they are lawful and unrelated to the victims’ journalistic work. This stance has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates who argue that the charges are a thinly veiled effort to eliminate critical voices.

The case of Fatima Movlamli and other detained journalists underscores the growing peril faced by media workers in Azerbaijan. As the government tightens its grip on information, independent journalism is under severe threat, jeopardizing the public’s right to information and undermining democratic principles. International calls continue for the immediate release of all imprisoned journalists and for Azerbaijan to respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to free expression and press freedom.

Reference – 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/07/azerbaijans-imprisoned-women-journalists

Journalist Fatima Movlamli Detained

https://oc-media.org/10th-independent-azerbaijani-journalist-arrested-in-meydan-tv-case/