Ban on "Abzas media" employees' communication with their relatives lifted

The investigative body has cancelled the ban on meetings and telephone conversations with relatives of the arrested employees of the online publication "Abzas media". Aysha Abdel Gadir, lawyer of one of the employees of the publication, informed Turan about it.

The information about lifting the ban on phone calls and meetings with relatives of "Abzas Media" employees was also confirmed by another lawyer of the arrested journalists - Shahla Humbatova.

*On 20 November last year, "Abzas Media" director Ulvi Hasanly was detained. On the same day, his house and the office of "Abzas Media" were searched, where the police "found" 40.000 euros.

On the same day "Abzas Media" deputy director Mohammed Kekalov was detained, and on 21 November - editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifghyzy was detained. Some time later, journalist Nargiz Absalamova was arrested and investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly was arrested on 13 December.

Journalist Elnara Gasimova was also arrested in January.

All of them are charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling by a group of conspirators) and face 5 to 8 years of imprisonment.

Add that international journalist organisations called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release the detained journalists and stop the pressures on independent media.