Travel Ban Lifted for Araz Aliyev Amidst Broader Crackdown on Azerbaijani Activists

Araz Aliyev

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Araz Aliyev, a prominent public activist and member of both the III Republic Platform and the NIDA Civic Movement, has announced that a travel ban preventing him from leaving Azerbaijan has been lifted. The restriction, which had halted his urgent attempt to take his seriously ill mother abroad for medical treatment, was removed on the evening of July 10. Aliyev confirmed he has since departed the country with his mother.

Aliyev first discovered the travel prohibition on July 7, when he was attempting to travel with his mother, who is battling an oncological illness requiring specialized care outside of Azerbaijan. His mother has been suffering for six months, and local treatments have proven ineffective, with her condition worsening recently.

The "Toplum TV Case" Connection

The activist had previously been informed by the Baku City Main Police Department that the ban was linked to his status as a witness in the high-profile "Toplum TV case." This case has drawn significant attention due to the arrests of numerous journalists and civil society figures.

On July 8, Aliyev proactively visited the Baku City Main Police Department to seek clarification on the travel ban. He recounted that an investigator briefly informed him that the "stop" could only be lifted after the conclusion of the ongoing "Toplum TV" court proceedings. Aliyev emphasized that his name appears in the case only as a witness, and legally, there should be no impediment to a witness leaving the country. He expressed deep concern, stating, "I can wait, but illness, health, human life, and death don't wait for the end of a court case..."

His desperate plea highlighted the severe personal cost of such restrictions, noting, "My sick mother can hardly go anywhere and receive treatment without me. What should we do now? Should I just stand by and watch my mother die? I have no criminal case against me, nor am I an accused person in any case. The reason and purpose of the 'stop' are also unknown to me."

A Pattern of Restrictions

Aliyev's experience is not isolated. Over the past few years, numerous journalists and public activists in Azerbaijan have reported similar travel restrictions, even when their involvement in criminal cases was limited to witness status. While some have successfully challenged these bans in court, law enforcement agencies have largely remained silent on these complaints publicly.

The "Toplum TV case" itself has led to a wave of arrests since March of last year. Initially, seven individuals were detained on smuggling charges, though some journalists, like Farid Ismayilov and Elmir Abbasov, initially faced alternative pre-trial measures. However, Ismayilov was later arrested in January of this current year.

Among those currently on trial in the "Toplum TV case" are journalists, the founder of "Toplum" Internet Television, and several founding members of the III Republic Platform, including Akif Gurbanov, head of the Democratic Initiatives Institute and spokesperson for the Platform, who was arrested in March 2024. Another Platform member, Ruslan Izzatli, is also under arrest in connection with the case.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the accused in the "Toplum TV case" were hit with a range of charges beyond smuggling, including legalizing large amounts of criminally obtained property, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and employing workers without labor contracts. These charges carry potential prison sentences of up to 12 years. All defendants deny the accusations, asserting that their arrests are politically motivated and a direct consequence of their professional activities. Azerbaijani officials, however, consistently deny the existence of political arrests in the country.

Since November 2023, more than 30 journalists and public activists in Azerbaijan have been arrested, often in groups, primarily on smuggling charges.

Araz Aliyev himself has faced previous legal troubles, having been detained two years ago on December 23 and sentenced to 25 days of administrative arrest for alleged disobedience to police. He denied these charges, stating the court decision was false. He was released on January 17 of last year.

While Aliyev's immediate crisis regarding his mother's treatment has been resolved with the lifting of his travel ban, his case underscores the broader challenges faced by civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan, where activists and journalists frequently encounter legal and administrative hurdles.