Aysel Umudova
On January 24, the Khatai District Court of Baku rejected the petition to transfer Meydan TV journalist Aysel Umudova to house arrest, Turan was informed by her lawyer, Agyl Laidj. The defense was aware that the petition would be rejected, but they appealed to the court to follow the necessary procedures for a future appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer pointed out the groundlessness of keeping Umudova in custody, as she had not evaded investigation or interfered with witnesses. Umudova linked the criminal case against her to her journalistic activities.
On December 6, Meydan TV employees Aynur Elgunesh, Aytaj Tapdyg, Khayala Agaeva, Aysel Umudova, Natig Javadly, and freelance journalist Ramin Deko (Jabrailzade), along with media expert Ulvi Tairov, were detained on suspicion of currency smuggling. On December 8, a court ordered their arrest.
The journalists connected the criminal case to their professional activities. Human rights defenders recognized them as political prisoners.
Politics
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On January 24, the Baku Court of Appeals considered an appeal regarding the arrest of journalist Farid Ismailov. According to his lawyer Zibeyda Sadigova, the defense argued that there was no need to keep the journalist in custody, citing his health problems and the fact that the preliminary investigation had already been completed.
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The human rights situation in Azerbaijan in 2024 was characterized by an increase in repression against journalists, activists, and religious groups, the annual report of the NGO "Line of Defense," presented on January 24 by member of the organization, human rights activist Zafar Ahmedov.
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On January 24, the Sabail District Court continued the trial of Aziz Orujov, the head of the online publication Kanal-13. According to lawyer Fahraddin Mehdiyev, at the beginning of the hearing, the judge rejected a petition filed at the previous hearing to transfer Orujov to house arrest. The defense then petitioned for journalists to be allowed into the trial and for conditions to be created for them to conduct filming.
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On January 24, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Commander of the Land Forces, Colonel General Hikmat Mirzayev, arrived on an official visit to Türkiye. According to the Ministry of Defense's statement, the Azerbaijani delegation was received by the Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, Army General Selçuk Bayraktaroglu.
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