Independent Media Under Pressure
Headlines such as “The West’s Network in Azerbaijan Is Falling Apart” and “Western Anti-Azerbaijan Plans Are Failing” have appeared in articles published by certain Azerbaijani media outlets targeting platforms like Abzas, Toplum TV, and Maclis Info. (Məclis info) Since November 2023, at least 14 media representatives in Azerbaijan have been arrested, most accused of smuggling. However, these individuals claim their arrests are linked to their professional activities, including investigations into high-ranking officials. For instance, Abzas Media has reported corruption cases involving the first family and senior officials, Maclis Info analyzed fraudulent parliamentary elections, and Toplum TV and Kanal13 have consistently delivered critical daily news. From 2021 onwards, searches of these journalists’ homes and offices allegedly uncovered foreign currencies like euros and dollars.
Following these events, independent journalists have been restricted from leaving the country. The State Border Service has informed many that the restrictions were imposed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, the affected individuals state they were not notified in advance and only discovered the ban at border checkpoints or airports. These restrictions also extend to their family members.
The Price of Independence
Exile and Hardship Independent photojournalist Vali Shukurov , observing the arrests of his colleagues, decided to leave Azerbaijan permanently. “When Abzas Media was attacked, I realized living in Azerbaijan was no longer possible. I was endangering both my life and my family’s safety. That’s why I decided to move to Germany,” he said.
In 2023, Shukurov was detained for one month, officially on charges of hooliganism and disobeying police orders. However, he claims he was arrested on political grounds while returning home with his wife. He believes his detention was a response to his investigations into corruption, including tracking luxury cars and properties owned by officials.
“If I hadn’t left the country, I might have faced even harsher punishments,” he added. Now living in Germany, Shukurov struggles to adapt economically and culturally, describing it as starting life from scratch. Despite these challenges, he feels safer abroad, though less active professionally. Media Freedom and the Fight Against Censorship International human rights organizations have called on President Ilham Aliyev to release “wrongfully imprisoned” journalists and media representatives. Local advocates argue that critical journalists in Azerbaijan are systematically silenced. Rufat Safarov, founder of the human rights group “Defense Line,” stated:
“Journalists who question the government’s corruption or illegal practices are essentially isolated in detention centers like Kurdəxanı and Shuvalan . Independent media such as Toplum TV, Abzas TV, Kanal13, Maclis info have faced repression because they operated outside the government’s control.”
While the Azerbaijani government asserts that media freedom and fundamental rights are upheld, human rights organizations have identified over 300 political prisoners in the country. In the global freedom index, Azerbaijan scored 7 out of 100 points, ranking among non-free nations. It has also dropped 13 positions in the global press freedom index, ranking 164th out of 180 countries. Over 20 journalists remain imprisoned, with officials claiming their arrests are linked to ongoing investigations rather than professional activities.
The editor-in-chief of Meydan TV, a platform known for highlighting public grievances and corruption investigations, criticized the state of media in Azerbaijan:
“Most media outlets in Azerbaijan serve as government propaganda tools. Only a handful of truly independent outlets remain. Information pollution is rampant; trivial or outdated news is circulated deliberately to distract the public. People must verify information from diverse sources to uncover the truth,” he said.
Meydan TV aims to provide verified and detailed reporting rather than focusing solely on speed. “Our goal is for audiences to trust us to confirm the truth or falsehood of any information they receive,” the editor Elgunash added.
P.S. Aynur Elgunesh and Rufat Safarov were arrested at the beginning of December, 2024, after the story was published.