“Abzas Media” journalists achieve humanization of waiting conditions in court

The journalists arrested in the case against the “Abzas Media” online publication resumed participation in the trial after a three-week break, since their demands regarding the conditions of transportation and detention in court were met.

On January 21, at trial, “Abzas Media” director Ulvi Gasanli claimed that the publication’s journalists were not guilty. On February 11, the court hearing on the “Abzas Media” case was postponed, as the defendants refused to participate in the court hearing in protest against their inhumane treatment. Economist Farid Mekhralizade claimed that he was forcibly brought to court.

Six employees of the “Abzas Media” online publication, including Ulvi Gasanli, Sevindj Vagifgyzy, Mokhammed Kekalov, Nargiz Absalamova, Khafiz Babaly, and Elnara Gasymova, were arrested on the charge of foreign currency smuggling, as law enforcers found the amount of 40,000 euros in cash at the editorial office. Later, economist Farid Mekhralizade was also arrested in the “Abzas Media” case.

Since January 21, the court hearings on the “Abzas Media” case have been postponed three times: on February 11 and 18 and on March 4, notes human rights defender Zafar Akhmedov, a member of the “Line of Defence” public organization.

“Journalists Sevindj Vagifgyzy, Ulvi Gasanli, Elnara Gasymova, and Nargiz Absalamova refused to go from the SIZO (pre-trial prison) to the court, since they were supposed to be kept in a cold, smoke-filled room in the courthouse while awaiting the trial. In addition, the journalists protested against the fact that they were brought to the courthouse in different police wagons in order to deprive them of the opportunity to communicate with each other as much as possible. During that time, the courthouse where the detainees were being kept was repaired and put in order ... At the same time, on March 11, the journalists were brought to the court in the same police wagon. Thus, their demands were met,” the human rights defender stated.

Sevindj Vagifgyzy, the editor-in-chief of the “Abzas Media” online publication, and reporter Elnara Gasymova testified at the court hearing. “Both journalists denied the charges. They stated that the real reason for their arrests was their journalistic investigations for the ‘Abzas Media’ publication into corruption of officials and their family members,” the human rights defender reported.