Why have the bank accounts of the relatives of the arrested journalists been blocked?

Bakı/21.12.23/Turan: In a significant escalation of the crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan, bank accounts and real estate belonging to individuals associated with the online publication "AbzasMedia" have been frozen, limiting their ability to leave the country. The move extends to Director Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgiza (Abbasov), journalists Nargiz Absalamova and Hafiz Babala, as well as their relatives and individuals questioned as witnesses. Furthermore, their tax payments and shareholders' information are now subject to scrutiny by the Baku City Police Headquarters.

The net has also widened to include the bank accounts of family members of Aziz Orujov, the executive director of Internet television Channel 13, who recently faced charges related to unauthorized construction and smuggling. Lamia Cherpanova, Orujov's wife, reported that her bank accounts, along with Orujov's mother's pension card, have been blocked.

Following Orujov's arrest, the Ministry of Internal Affairs successfully petitioned to block access to Channel 13's YouTube channel, adding another layer to the suppression of media voices critical of the government. Orujov now faces charges under Article 188.2 for unauthorized construction and additional charges under Article 206.3.2 for smuggling by a group of persons by prior agreement.

Legal expert Alesker Mammadli, commenting on these developments on the program "A Difficult Question," drew attention to the freezing of assets, highlighting the contrast with past cases. He referenced the high-profile case of Jahangir Hajiyev, the head of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), whose wife faced arrest and asset seizure in London during a scandal involving significant damage to the state budget.

Mammadli emphasized that unlike the IBA case, where financial motives were evident, the charges against Orujov lack such implications. The essence of the accusations revolves around unauthorized construction, with no apparent financial harm to others. The decision to freeze the accounts of Orujov's wife and his mother's pension card, according to Mammadli, violates the Code of Criminal Procedure, which mandates state responsibility for the maintenance of family members, especially the elderly and disabled.

The legal expert argued that punishing family members of an accused individual whose guilt is unproven exceeds the purpose of criminal law and reflects the inhumanity and inadequacy of the law enforcement agencies and the judicial system. Mammadli concluded that such actions contradict principles of humanism and the rule of law, questioning the disregard for legal procedures and fairness in the pursuit of individuals associated with critical media outlets.