Statement: detention of journalists in Azerbaijan
On Friday, 6 December 2024, Meydan TV, an Azerbaijani non-profit media organisation, announced a concerning development involving the detention of several individuals associated with its work. Beginning around 1 PM local time in Baku, contact was lost with 6 journalists. Subsequent efforts to re-establish communication revealed that these journalists were being held at the Baku City Police Department. In addition, the authorities searched the homes of several of them and confiscated personal equipment and belongings.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Ramin Jabrayilzade, an independent journalist and reporter, was detained on allegations relating to the illegal import of foreign currency. Authorities claim that this detention is part of a broader investigation implicating multiple individuals. Meydan TV has firmly stated that the detention and interrogation of their journalists is illegal, and they refute all accusations.
“Since the day we started our activities over a decade ago, our brave journalists have been arrested, and they and their families have been subjected to persecution."
In a statement, the Meydan TV’s management declared: “Since the day we started our activities over a decade ago, our brave journalists have been arrested, and they and their families have been subjected to persecution. Journalists who cooperate with us have been illegally banned from leaving the country, and have been surveilled by Pegasus spyware, among other forms of pressure”.
They continue: “Our website has been officially banned within the country’s borders since 2017, and our social media channels have repeatedly been subjected to cyberattacks. Despite these attempts to silence us, we at Meydan TV have continued our work as journalists, publicized the events taking place in the country and the problems of ordinary citizens, and have done this all free of censorship”.
“Our goal has always been to be an independent and alternative media organization in Azerbaijan, informing our audience daily. The pressures and accusations against us since our establishment are groundless, and these novel attacks will neither silence us nor stop our work.”, states Meydan TV’s management team.
