Hafiz Babalı writes from prison: "The stones you throw at me will return like a boomerang and hit both you and your 'secret' patrons."

Hafiz Babalı

Investigative journalist Hafiz Babalı, sentenced to 9 years in prison as part of the “Abzas Media case,” has issued a public address. The address was published on the journalist's "Facebook" account.

In his address, Babalı extensively touched upon the smear campaign waged against him in the media, the court proceedings, and the violation of his rights:

"Court battles against the mercenary perpetrators—the press rats—in the media attempting to tarnish my professional journalistic activity and my personality have been ongoing for nearly two years.

It is true that my right to personally attend the court sessions is not ensured, and for now, my civil claims, appeal, and cassation complaints are rejected. However, I feel morally victorious: the courts are forced to submit to a political order and issue illegal and unjust decisions in the name of the state. My weapon, however, has a longer range—law and truth."

The journalist noted that his civil lawsuits filed against the publication "Qafqazinfo" and the "Baku TV" channel were not satisfied:

"Recently, my appeal against the decision of the Narimanov District Court regarding Qafqazinfo.az LLC and my civil claim of the same nature against Baku.tv channel were not satisfied. My demands for an apology, a retraction, and compensation for moral damages were unreasonably rejected. These processes will be continued up to the higher instances and the European Court."

Babalı stated that from now on, he is directly appealing to the courts for the criminal prosecution of media outlets that publish libel and insults against him:

"To date, I have submitted complaint applications to the prison administration for forwarding to the Narimanov DC and Nasimi DC regarding Elbrus Seyfullayev, the director of Qafqazinfo.az LLC, and Ramin Jafarov, the director of Baku TV LLC. However, I have not yet been given receipts confirming the delivery of the applications via post."

At the end of the address, the journalist reacted harshly to the campaign directed against him:

"Thus, I look directly into the eyes of the pen pimps and tele-sewerage 'foremen' who are trying to discredit the struggling journalist—who has not betrayed his pen and is currently forced to live as a convict due to unlawful imprisonment—with their scribbles, and I say: 'The stones you throw at me will return like a boomerang and hit both you and your 'secret' patrons.'"

Hafiz Babalı was arrested in December 2023 as part of the “Abzas Media case.” Along with him, the director of "Abzas Media," Ulvi Hasanli, chief editor Sevinc Vagifgizi, project coordinator Mahammad Kekalov, journalists Elnara Gasimova, Nargiz Absalamova, and "Radio Liberty" employee and economist Farid Mehralizade were detained in connection with this case.

On June 20, 2025, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinc Vagifgizi, Hafiz Babalı, and Farid Mehralizade to 9 years of imprisonment, Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova to 8 years, and Mahammad Kekalov to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

The Baku Court of Appeal upheld the verdict on September 9.

International media and human rights organizations regard this case as part of a campaign aimed at silencing free media in Azerbaijan.