Latest News & Updates

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Azerbaijan to drop all charges against independent reporters and activists facing up to 16 years in prison. State prosecutors in Baku requested the heavy sentences on 8 June for nine people associated with the independent online news outlet Toplum TV and its partner organisation, the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI). In a statement released on 10 June, the US-based media watchdog said the prosecution's demands

Elkhan Aliyev The health of jailed Azerbaijani opposition activist Elkhan Aliyev has severely deteriorated after being denied urgent medical care, his party has said. The Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP) said Aliyev, who suffered a stroke shortly before his arrest, is being refused a promised MRI scan. Although he was promised medical services and an MRI scan, the matter is being delayed," the AXCP said in a statement. His family has managed to deliver some privately

The family of an Azerbaijani conscript who died two months into his national service have accused the authorities of a cover-up, alleging he was killed and that police blocked filming of his funeral. Natiq Mammadov, who served in the State Border Service (DSX) in the Nakhchivan enclave, died on 1 June. While local media reported he died of measles, his family have strongly rejected the claim. Yesterday they deployed 20 to 30 police officers here so that no one could film," hi

Ali Karimli An Azerbaijani court on Wednesday extended the pre-trial detention of prominent opposition leader Ali Karimli by a further five months, party members said. The Sabail District Court in Baku approved a request by the State Security Service (DTX) to keep the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) chairman in custody. Karimli was arrested on 1 December last year on charges of attempting to seize power by force and forcibly changing the constitutional order. The cou

Azerbaijan has used newly introduced "in absentia" trials to prosecute and convict exiled government critics over their online posts, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. In a report released on Wednesday 10 June 2026, the rights group said Baku's heavy crimes courts had handed down prison sentences ranging from six to 16 years to Azerbaijani citizens living in Europe and the US. The convictions are being used as a tool for "transnational repression" to target activists beyond

An Azerbaijani opposition activist has filed a court petition accusing police of failing to account for a laptop and 17,000 manats (£7,800) in cash allegedly taken during his arrest. Akif Gurbanov, the head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI) and spokesperson for the Third Republic Platform, submitted the motion on Monday during a hearing at the Baku Grave Crimes Court. Gurbanov is one of several journalists and civil society figures detained in the high-profile

An Azerbaijani court has replaced all three judges overseeing the landmark trial of 12 independent journalists and activists linked to the media outlet Meydan TV. The decision to swap the entire panel at the Baku Grave Crimes Court has prompted warnings from defence lawyers that the proceedings, which began in December 2025, may now have to start from scratch. Zaur Hajiyev has been appointed as the new presiding judge, alongside Azer Taghiyev and Roman Alakbarli. The previous

Social media companies in Azerbaijan face heavy fines if they fail to block children under the age of 16 from creating accounts, under a draft law. Parliamentary committees in Baku discussed the proposals on Monday, following a presidential decree earlier this year to protect children online. Under the draft legislation, tech companies that violate the age restriction rules could be fined up to 40,000 manats (£18,500; $23,500). Officials who fail to enforce the rules face fin

Zabil Gahramanov The criminal investigation into prominent Azerbaijani defence lawyer Zabil Gahramanov has concluded, with prosecutors sending his case to court on fraud and hooliganism charges. Mr Gahramanov, who has been held in pre-trial detention since October 2025, now faces four criminal charges, including abusing his office to commit fraud and resisting authority. The case, which was initially opened by police in the western city of Ganja, was later transferred to the

Afgan Sadygov An Azerbaijani court has ordered the pre-trial detention of independent journalist Afgan Sadygov after reopening an extortion case that prosecutors had previously closed in April. The Binagadi District Court in Baku ruled that Mr Sadygov, the editor-in-chief of the online news outlet Azel TV, must be held in custody until 30 July. His lawyer, Nemat Karimli, said the decision followed a successful appeal by alleged victims to overturn a previous ruling by the Pro

Elvin Mustafayev The family of a jailed Azerbaijani trade unionist says he has been beaten and threatened with new charges after criticising the treatment of a fellow prisoner. Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the independent Workers' Table Trade Unions Confederation, was allegedly assaulted by prison staff at Prison No. 17 before being transferred to a Baku detention facility. His relatives told independent local media that the prison's regime chief, Samit Gafarov, threatened M

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is consuming planetary resources at an unsustainable rate, a United Nations (UN) study has warned. The report, by the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), reveals that data centres now use more electricity than entire nations such as Saudi Arabia. By 2030, the technology's global water footprint is projected to hit 9.3 trillion litres — enough to meet the drinking needs of the world's population

An Azerbaijani court has indefinitely postponed the trial of a group of independent journalists and activists linked to the media outlet Meydan TV, following the promotion of the presiding judge. The Baku Grave Crimes Court on 5 June delayed the hearing, which has faced a series of disruptions in recent weeks. Defence lawyer Rovshana Rahimli told Meydan TV that the delay was due to the failure to appoint a replacement for the former presiding judge, Ayten Aliyeva, who was app

Elvin Mustafayev A jailed Azerbaijani trade union activist has been threatened with a new criminal case after protesting against the treatment of a fellow activist, his family has said. Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the Workers’ Table Trade Unions Confederation (İşçi Masası), is currently serving a three-year sentence at Prison No. 17. His relatives told the independent media outlet Meydan TV that the prison's head of regime, Samit Gafarov, threatened Mustafayev with new char

Natiq Mammadov An Azerbaijani border guard has died in the Nakhchivan exclave after reportedly suffering from shock following a routine medical injection, his family says. Natiq Mammadov, a conscript serving with the State Border Service (DSX), died on 1 June in what his family has described as suspicious circumstances. His father, Namiq Mammadov, told that his son had no prior health issues but fell ill after receiving treatment for a mild fever. They took my son to the med

A court in Azerbaijan's capital Baku has indefinitely postponed the trial of independent journalists from Meydan TV after the presiding judge was promoted to a higher court. The trial at the Baku Grave Crimes Court on 5 June was delayed because a replacement has not yet been appointed for Judge Ayten Aliyeva, who was named to the Baku Court of Appeal last month. Defence lawyer Rovshana Rahimli told Meydan TV that the lack of a new presiding judge was the sole reason for the l

Mehman Huseynov Azerbaijan's parliament is set to tighten regulations on civilian drones, sparking criticism from activists who warn the move will further restrict independent journalism and anti-corruption work. The proposed amendments to the country's aviation law, debated by a parliamentary committee on 4 June, would restrict autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to state-designated geographical zones. Under the draft legislation, the circulation of civilian drones wi

Iqbal Abilov Relatives of jailed Azerbaijani scholar Iqbal Abilov say a Polish publisher has released a collection of his Russian-language poetry as he serves an 18-year prison sentence. The book, published by JKB Print in Warsaw, includes a dedication to Elbayi Karimli, a member of the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) who reportedly died by suicide in prison custody in December last year. Abilov, an ethnic researcher and editor-in-chief of the journal of the

A court in Azerbaijan has jailed three former senior staff members of a maternity hospital over a fire that killed seven newborn babies. Mehriban Abasquliyeva, the former director of the Republican Perinatal Centre in Baku, was sentenced to seven years and three months. Two of her former colleagues, Hamlet Mustafayev and Elnur Ahmadli, received sentences of five years and eight months, and five years and two months respectively. All three defendants were arrested in the Baku

Ramil Babayev An imprisoned Azerbaijani activist has ended a 10-day hunger strike after suffering severe health complications and receiving pledges from prison authorities to end inmate abuse. Ramil Babayev, an associate of the independent Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI), announced the end of his strike in a letter released through his family on 4 June. Mr Babayev, who is being held in the Baku Detention Centre, said his physical condition had deteriorated rapidly.