In a troubling turn of events, journalist Hafiz Babaly, editor of the economic department at Turan News Agency, was recently detained in Azerbaijan. The arrest, conducted by Baku City Main Police Department (GUPGB) employees who subsequently searched Babaly's residence, is part of an ongoing criminal case initiated by the newspaper "AbzasMedia." Ibrahim Miraslanli from the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that Babaly is the fifth journalist detained in connection with this case.
The charges against Babaly, similar to those faced by other journalists in the "AbzasMedia" case, fall under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code, pertaining to smuggling by a group of individuals by prior agreement. The total number of journalists arrested in recent days has now surpassed 10, including employees of "AbzasMedia," Internet television channels, and other online platforms.
Khalid Agaliyev, Head of the Institute of Media Rights (IPM), emphasized the negative historical context of interference in journalists' activities in Azerbaijan, noting the unprecedented nature of the recent events. He highlighted the country's past mass arrests of journalists in 2008-2010, where Azerbaijan ranked prominently among OSCE participants for the number of arrested journalists. Importantly, Agaliyev stressed that many convicted journalists during that period were targeted for charges unrelated to journalism.
Drawing parallels to the current situation, Agaliyev pointed out that the accusations of smuggling against journalists, particularly those associated with "AbzasMedia," could be linked to their receipt of grants from foreign sources for investigative journalism.
"We can talk about receiving grants with violations here. This, according to our legislation, entails administrative responsibility – fines," Agaliyev noted. However, he cautioned against overlooking the problematic nature of Azerbaijan's legislation in the grant sphere. He argued that the primary objective behind these arrests is to stifle journalists and media outlets, raising concerns about the broader implications for press freedom.
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