'Amnesty International' condemns arrests of 'Meydan TV' journalists in Azerbaijan

'Amnesty International', an international human rights organisation, has condemned the arrests of 'Meydan TV' journalists in Azerbaijan.

‘Two weeks after COP29, at least six journalists have been detained in Azerbaijan as part of a new wave of arrests. We condemn the latest arrests and call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release the journalists and media workers.

We feared reprisals after COP29 and now call on UN participating states to respond to the ongoing harassment in Azerbaijan, the country that still holds the COP29 chairmanship,’ the organisation said in a statement.

The recent arrests of independent journalists, including employees of 'Meydan TV', are part of a crackdown that began a year ago and is aimed at suppressing independent critical voices, 'Amnesty International' emphasises.

This has led to the arrests of journalists and media workers from 'Abzas Media', 'Toplum TV', 'Kanal 13' and other outlets, and now 'Meydan TV staff', as well as academics and activists, the rights group further points out.

The international journalist organisation 'Article19' also condemned the new arrests of journalists in Azerbaijan.

‘A few weeks after the climate summit in Baku, at least 7 journalists - most of them from 'Meydan TV' - have been detained. The repression is a new reminder that Azerbaijan does not tolerate criticism and dissent. We must continue to fight pressures on press freedom,’ the organisation's social media account X said in a post.

*Five employees of 'Meydan TV' and two other media representatives were detained on 6 October on charges of ‘smuggling foreign currency by prior conspiracy’.

On 8 December, the court arrested all detainees for 4 months. Right-wing activists recognised all those arrested as political prisoners.