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June 20, 2025 – Azerbaijan –
In a sweeping blow to press freedom, a court in Baku has sentenced seven independent journalists to prison terms ranging from 7½ to 9 years. The journalists, including Farid Mehralizada of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and six others from Abzas Media, were convicted on charges including illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and currency smuggling.
The case has been widely condemned by international human rights and press freedom organizations, which view the charges as politically motivated. Abzas Media is known for its investigative reporting on government corruption and human rights violations, while RFE/RL has faced longstanding hostility from Azerbaijani authorities for its critical coverage.
Mehralizada, who was arrested in May 2024, received the harshest sentence—nine years in prison. The other six journalists, arrested in late 2023, were handed slightly shorter sentences. All seven maintain their innocence, and rights groups argue that the trials lacked transparency and due process.
Amnesty International called the sentencing “a shocking escalation” in Azerbaijan’s campaign against independent journalism, accusing the government of weaponizing its judicial system to silence dissent. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the verdicts as “outrageous,” urging immediate international pressure on Baku to reverse the convictions and free the journalists.
RFE/RL’s President emphasized the human toll, noting that Mehralizada missed the birth of his child while in pretrial detention. The outlet has condemned the charges as “baseless” and demanded his immediate release.
This latest wave of repression adds to a troubling trend. In recent years, the Azerbaijani government has shuttered independent media outlets, stripped foreign media of accreditation, and pursued journalists through courts and police raids. The country now ranks 167th out of 180 in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index.
The convictions send a chilling message to journalists still working in Azerbaijan: reporting the truth may come at the cost of one’s freedom. As international pressure mounts, human rights defenders warn that failing to hold Azerbaijan accountable could embolden further attacks on press freedom across the region.
Reference –
Azerbaijan: Seven journalists sentenced in latest shocking crackdown on free speech
