Jailed Azerbaijani journalist Farid Mehralizade marks two years in prison

Farid Mehralizade

Jailed Azerbaijani journalist Farid Mehralizade marks two years in prison

An Azerbaijani journalist and economist sentenced to nine years in prison has marked two years of detention by sharing his reflections on prison life and the country's economy.

Farid Mehralizade, a contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was arrested on 30 May 2024 during a wider crackdown on the independent news outlet Abzas Media. Human rights groups have condemned the charges of smuggling, money laundering, and tax evasion as politically motivated.

Writing from prison to mark the anniversary, Mehralizade described how an artificial intelligence (AI) generated photo of him and his daughter provides his main motivation.

My child was born a few months after I was arrested," Mehralizade said. "We have only seen each other during prison visits, so we do not have a real photo together."

Friends sent him the digital image. "Holding that photo, I felt the weight of all the precious moments I have lost: first steps, birthdays, and holidays at home," he added.

Mehralizade noted that the term "journalist" has become prison slang for any political detainee, whether they are activists, opposition members, or reporters.

This is not accidental," Mehralizade said. "It shows how risky and dangerous independent journalism has become in Azerbaijan."

His confinement has also changed his view of poverty, shifting from a simple measure of income to a "lack of choice".

He explained that in prison, solidarity replaces state support. "If someone runs out of tea, another shares. If someone lacks clothes, others help. In prison, the main mechanism of social protection is not the state, but collective consciousness."

As an economist, Mehralizade analysed his surroundings, noting that many inmates held on drug charges are not users, but individuals driven to courier work by unemployment.

When viewed from prison, one of the first visible problems in the Azerbaijani economy is the employment problem," Mehralizade said. He urged the creation of work programmes for former inmates to prevent reoffending.

He also highlighted the high number of entrepreneurs jailed over minor tax disputes, warning that closing businesses harms families and the wider economy.

These arrests do not just mean a person loses their freedom," Mehralizade said. "It means businesses stop, jobs are lost, and dozens of families lose their income."

Mehralizade was sentenced in June 2025 alongside six other journalists and media workers associated with Abzas Media. Sentences for the group ranged from seven and a half to nine years.

He has maintained his innocence, telling the court he is being punished specifically for his reporting with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani service, Radio Azadliq. The Baku Appellate Court and the Supreme Court have upheld the sentences.

International media and human rights organisations continue to call for their immediate release, categorising the arrests as part of a campaign to silence independent media in Azerbaijan.