Toplum TV case: Azerbaijani activist Akif Gurbanov rejects charges in court

An Azerbaijani opposition figure facing trial alongside independent journalists has told a Baku court that government efforts to suppress democratic values in the country will fail.

Akif Gurbanov, head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and speaker of the III Republic Platform, was speaking during his final address at the Baku Serious Crimes Court on 20 July.

Gurbanov is one of 10 defendants in the high-profile "Toplum TV case", a prosecution targeting independent journalists, civic activists, and political figures in Azerbaijan.

"Even if they try for centuries, they will not be able to erase the ideas of the republic," Gurbanov told the court.

In a wide-ranging speech, he strongly criticised President Ilham Aliyev’s government, comparing the administration to a Soviet-style regime that refuses to admit errors or permit free elections.

He also raised concerns over economic concentration in the country, arguing that vast portions of national wealth remain in the hands of state-linked holding companies while ordinary citizens struggle with rising living costs.

Gurbanov denied all accusations against himself and his co-defendants, insisting that their prosecution was politically motivated because of their work in support of independent journalism and judicial reform.

"They do not want an independent media or an independent judiciary," he said. "We have no intention of submitting to this system."

He defended the work of Toplum TV and the FactCheck ("FaktYoxla") project, stating that both platforms were established to foster professional journalism and combat disinformation.

The Toplum TV case began following police raids on the newsroom of the independent online broadcaster and the offices of partner civic organisations.

Defendants were initially charged with currency smuggling, but prosecutors later introduced heavier financial allegations against them. All accused parties deny the charges.

Those on trial alongside Gurbanov include Toplum TV co-founder Alasgar Mammadli, politician Ruslan Izzatli, video editor Mushfig Jabbar, and several researchers from the Institute for Democratic Initiatives. Most of the group remain in pre-trial detention.

The presiding judge, Azer Taghiyev, adjourned the trial until 27 July, when proceedings are scheduled to resume.