Show Us the Goods, Smuggler: Meydan TV Journalists Turn Courtroom into Stage of Protest

The Meydan TV case hearing at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes saw an unexpected turn on December 22. Imprisoned journalists used the indictment reading as an opportunity to stage a musical protest. They sang new lyrics to a well-known chorus from Uzeyir Hajibeyov’s operetta Arşın Mal Alan, mockingly challenging the state’s claims of wrongdoing: "Smuggler, show us the goods / Open your estates and show them... The people want to know." This was a call for transparency.

Judge Ayten Aliyeva oversaw the session that showed the tension between the defense and the court. The State Tax Service is seeking about 80,000 AZN from the accused, adding financial strain to a politically charged case. The court denied the defense's request to record the trial, though twelve media professionals are facing serious charges. The court stated that media observers taking notes would be enough.

The defendants and their lawyers pointed out what they said were ongoing issues with the process. Shamshad Agha, editor-in-chief of Arqument.az, claimed that the investigation was not valid because the documents were not prepared on the required forms. He said this could allow for later falsification. After his request to dismiss these documents was rejected, Agha called the session a farce, claiming the court was acting outside the law.

The personal impact of the detention was clear through different requests. Aynur Elgunesh, editor-in-chief of Meydan TV, was able to get back her disability and IDP cards, which had been held by investigators. But her request to have her dog, Max, visit her at the detention center was denied. The judge said there was no provision for such visits, but Elgunesh argued that there was no law against them. Journalists Ulviyya Ali and Fatima Movlamli asked for the return of their electronics containing family photos and memories, but these requests were ignored.

The Meydan TV case is part of a larger effort to control independent media in Azerbaijan that began in late 2023. Since then, more than 30 journalists and activists, including people from Abzas Media and Toplum TV, have been arrested on similar charges. These include illegal business activity, tax evasion, and smuggling. The state says these are criminal cases unrelated to their work. The defendants say their imprisonment is political retaliation for exposing government wrongdoing.

The trial is scheduled to start again on January 16, 2026, with the journalists facing up to 12 years in prison. Meanwhile, their song stands as a symbol of their resistance to what they see as an unjust legal process.