Azerbaijan gives nine Toplum TV-linked journalists and activists up to 15 years in prison

An Azerbaijani court sentenced nine independent journalists, NGO workers and a pro-democracy activist linked to Toplum TV to between 12 and 15 years in prison on July 27.

The Baku court convicted them of smuggling charges that all nine defendants rejected as politically motivated.

Toplum TV employees Mushfig Jabbar, Farid Ismayilov and Elmir Abbasov were arrested in March 2024 during a police raid on the outlet’s offices in Baku.

Four NGO workers and a pro-democracy activist connected to the outlet were arrested on the same day. Toplum TV founder Alasgar Mammadli was detained two days later.

The European Federation of Journalists described the sentences as “extremely harsh” and called for the defendants’ immediate release.

It said the verdict demonstrated what it described as the political nature of the trial and an attempt by Azerbaijani authorities to intimidate and repress journalists.

Azerbaijan has arrested dozens of media workers since 2023, accusing them of offences including money laundering and tax evasion.

Toplum TV had published investigations into alleged corruption involving government officials and the family of the country’s state security chief.

Rights groups have long accused Azerbaijan’s government under President Ilham Aliyev of suppressing opposition media and independent journalism.

The Committee to Protect Journalists ranked Azerbaijan sixth globally in 2025 for the number of imprisoned journalists, behind Belarus, Russia, Israel, Myanmar and China.