Turkish Commandos to Take Part in Victory Parade in Baku

The press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the arrests of Meydan TV employees. A statement of the organization on RSF’s X (formerly Twitter) account said: "Reporters Without Borders condemns these new arrests and calls for their immediate release, as well as the release of 13 other journalists held in disgraceful conditions on trumped-up charges."

"I was deeply concerned to learn of the arrest of journalists working with Meydan TV. A free and independent press is a vital component of any democracy. Journalists must be able to report on issues without the fear of arrest, intimidation, or violence." This statement was posted by the UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld, on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the arrest of six journalists and media workers in Azerbaijan, including five staff members of Meydan TV and one freelance journalist. "At around noon, independent journalist Ramin Jebrailzadeh (also known as Ramin Deko) was detained at Baku airport upon his arrival from neighboring Georgia, where he had been covering pro-European protests. At the same time, law enforcement officers in different parts of the city detained Natig Javadhli, Khayala Agaeva, Aytac Tapdyg, Aynur Elgunesh, and Aysel Umudova, who work with the Germany-based independent media outlet Meydan TV," the CPJ statement reads.

Georgian special forces dispersed anti-government demonstrators on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on Friday night, which was the first such crackdown in three days of protests. Authorities used water cannons and tear gas to clear protesters from the area near the Georgian Parliament. Several demonstrators were detained.