On 20 November 2023, at around 7:00 AM, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of
AbzasMedia, was detained near his home while heading to the
airport for a trip abroad. Hasanli was taken to the Main Police Department of Baku City and searches were conducted at his residence and the
AbzasMedia's office. Zibeyda Sadigova, Hasanli's lawyer, stated that during the five-hour search at the office, police reported finding €40,000. During the search process, a red bruise was observed under Ulvi Hasanli's eye. He informed journalists that the injury was caused by a punch from police officers during his detention. Hasanli also reported that he was subjected to inhumane treatment and torture at the Main Police Department of Baku City, where he claimed to have been punched repeatedly. He was charged under Article 206.3.2 of the
Criminal Code (smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons), and a pretrial detention measure was imposed against him. Later,
AbzasMedia's editor-in-chief,
Sevinj Vagifqizi, was detained by police at the
Heydar Aliyev International Airport. On the same day, her residence was searched. Elchin Sadigov, who represents Sevinj Vagifqizi as her lawyer, stated that no illegal items were found during the search. Despite this, a criminal case was initiated against her under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons). On 21 November, the Khatai District Court imposed pretrial detention on Sevinj Vagifqizi. On 23 November, the Khatai District Court imposed pretrial detention on Abzas Media's assistant director, Mahammad Kekalov. In November 2023, after the board and employees of Abzas Media were arrested on
smuggling charges,
Nargiz Absalamova was also questioned as a witness in the same case on 23 November at the Main Police Department of Baku City. A week later, on 30 November, she was summoned again as a witness to the same department but was detained as a suspect. She was charged under the same article as the Abzas Media's board —Article 206.3.2 of the
Criminal Code (smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons). On 1 December, the Khatai District Court imposed pretrial detention on Nargiz Absalamova. Elnara Gasimova was questioned twice as a witness in connection with the AbzasMedia case—on 24 November 2023, and 13 January 2024. During the most recent summons, on 13 January 2024, she was detained as a suspect. On 15 January 2024, she was charged as a defendant under Article 206.3.2 of the
Criminal Code, and the charges outlined in that article were formally brought against her. On the same day, the Khatai District Court of Baku issued a ruling imposing pretrial detention on her. After the detention of AbzasMedia journalists Hafiz Babali was summoned to the Main Police Department of Baku City as a witness. On 13 December, Babali was taken into custody by the police, and a search was conducted at his residence by eight police officers alongside an investigator from the Main Police Department of Baku City. Like other
AbzasMedia journalists, a criminal case was initiated against him under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons). On 20 June 2025, Abzas Media's director
Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief
Sevinj Vagifgizi and investigative reporter Hafiz Babali were sentenced to nine years in prison. Journalists
Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova were sentenced to eight years in prison, while the outlet's deputy director Mahammad Kekalov was sentenced to seven and a half years. Independent economist
Farid Mehralizade, who gave interviews to Abzas Media, was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Marie Struthers,
Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said: "By pressing fabricated economic charges against journalists who exposed high-level corruption, the Azerbaijani authorities are sending a chilling message to anyone in the country who dares to challenge them. ... The political repression in Azerbaijan today is staggering, yet we lack a united, principled stand against it from the international community, in defence of human rights. In stark contrast, major actors like the
European Union persist in actively courting President Ilham Aliyev in search of lucrative gas deals." == References ==