Azerbaijan Expands Pressure on Meydan TV Journalist’s Family as Travel Ban Deepens Rights Concerns

Authorities in Azerbaijan have imposed a travel ban on the mother of imprisoned Meydan TV journalist Aytaj Tapdiq, a move that has intensified concerns among press freedom and human rights groups about the treatment of journalists and their families amid an ongoing crackdown on independent media.

According to reports, Dilruba Amanova, the mother of journalist Aytaj Tapdiq (also referred to as Aytac Ahmadova), was stopped at Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International Airport while attempting to travel abroad to visit her daughter. She was informed that she was subject to a travel restriction, preventing her from leaving the country.

The case is linked to the broader “Meydan TV” prosecution, in which multiple journalists and media workers have been detained on charges including alleged financial crimes and smuggling. Rights organizations and international observers have repeatedly stated that these charges are widely viewed as politically motivated and tied to their journalistic activities.

Tapdiq is among several journalists facing extended pretrial detention in the case, which has drawn sustained criticism from press freedom advocates who argue that Azerbaijan is increasingly using legal and administrative measures to restrict independent reporting.

Human rights groups say that travel bans on relatives of detained journalists represent an additional layer of pressure, expanding restrictions beyond the individuals directly targeted. Similar measures have been reported in other cases involving Azerbaijani journalists and activists, where family members have been prevented from leaving the country for education, travel, or public events.

Advocacy organizations covering media freedom in Azerbaijan argue that these actions contribute to a wider climate of intimidation affecting journalists associated with independent outlets such as Meydan TV and Abzas Media. They maintain that such restrictions undermine freedom of movement and intensify the isolation of those already in detention.

The situation continues to draw international scrutiny as part of a broader pattern of press freedom concerns in Azerbaijan, where multiple journalists remain imprisoned, and independent media outlets face ongoing legal pressure and operational restrictions.

Reference –

https://www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/75195

Travel Ban Imposed on Mother of Imprisoned Journalist Aytac Tapdiq

https://oc-media.org/azerbaijan-imposes-travel-ban-on-mother-of-jailed-journalist/

Travel ban imposed on mother of imprisoned journalist Aytaj Tapdig