The court denied Hafiz Babali's request for house arrest

Today, the Khatai District Court of Baku rejected the defense's petition to transfer investigative journalist Hafiz Babali to house arrest. The defense argued that the preliminary investigation is  coming to an end, and there is no reason to keep the journalist in custody, Rashad Aliyev,  Babali's lawyer, told Turan. Moreover, Babali has serious health  problems; he is visually impaired. Additionally,   his health has also worsened because of varicose veins in his leg. Babali rejects the new charges, as well as the previous one of smuggling, and attributes his arrest to his professional journalistic activities and investigations into corruption.

Babali stated that his connection with “Abzas Media” was solely related to the publication of his investigative reports. An appeal will be filed against the court's decision.

Babali is one of six journalists and media workers who were arrested between December 2023 and January 2024 in connection with the "Abzas Media case."

Initially, they were all charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling by a group of persons in conspiracy).  On August 16-19, the journalists faced new charges under Articles 192.3.2 (illegal entrepreneurship with large-scale income), 193-1.3.1 and 193-1.3.2 (legalization of criminal proceeds by an organized group), 206.4 (smuggling by an organized group), 320.1 and 320.2 (forgery and use of forged documents), as well as Article 213.2.1 (group tax evasion) of the Criminal Code. These charges carry a prison sentence of 7 to 12 years.

The journalists have denied all the accusations, stating that they are being persecuted for investigating corruption in the highest levels of power.

International media protection organizations have called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release the detained journalists and stop pressuring independent media. Human rights defenders recognize those arrested in the “Abzas Media” case as political prisoners.