📅 One year since his arrest on May 30, 2024, economist and journalist Farid Mehralizade remains behind bars on politically motivated charges. Prosecutors now seek 12 years in prison and asset confiscation. irfs.org/news-feed/abza…

❗️State propaganda says “criminal case.” But Ulviyya Ali ’s letters from prison say: torture, humiliation, threats of rape. #Azerbaijan’s smear machine is working overtime—here’s what it’s hiding: 🔴 irfs.org/news-feed/baku…

🚨Ali Zeynal, jailed in Azerbaijan’s “Toplum TV case,” hasn’t called his family since June 3—days after he exposed horrific conditions at Kurdakhani prison in a letter to the Justice Minister irfs.org/news-feed/impr…

⚠️ Human Rights in Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 Side event on the sidelines of #HRC60 in United Nations Geneva 📍 17 June, 15:00 CET Don’t miss out a critical discussion on deteriorating civic space in the country ❗️ More👇🏼 instituteforhumanrights.org/post/human-rig…

Today, we join others in urging the international community – especially the #EU – to put pressure on the #GeorgianDream ruling party to stop the assault on independent journalism and uphold democracy and media freedom in #Georgia: indexoncensorship.org/2025/06/georgi…

❗️ Voices of Exiled Journalists from Post-Soviet States at the #HRC59 📅 June 20, 11 am CET 📍 Room XXV United Nations Geneva As regimes crack down on dissent, journalists are being forced into exile and targeted by legal, digital, and physical repression irfs.org/news-feed/free…

❗️IRFS calls on media rights organisations to focus on hateful rhetoric and calls for violence against journalists! From 'fake news' to 'traitors', from fake videos to doxxing, journalists are increasingly targeted Such incidents must be widely covered and censored

❗️IRFS calls on the European Institutions and the Council of Europe to demand from the Georgian 🇬🇪 authorities a stop to use of the court powers in a bid to suppress activities by critical civil society organisations, including those supporting media. irfs.org/news-feed/stop…

📍At #HRC59, IRFS & Institute for Human Rights convened a panel on the rising crisis of political imprisonment & civil society suppression in #Azerbaijan Experts exposed 🇦🇿’s crackdown on dissent, from jailed journalists to digital censorship & weaponized law irfs.org/news-feed/huma…

Zahra Kalantari, the advocacy officer of the IRFS, provides information about the imprisoned female journalists in Azerbaijan and the specific challenges they face - UN office, Geneva

⚠️ Bahruz Samadov—a researcher, not a criminal—has reportedly attempted suicide in prison. He faces 16 years on trumped-up treason charges. We demand accountability for his unlawful detention before another bright voice is silenced forever!

#AZERBAIJAN 🇦🇿 CRUSHES PRESS FREEDOM: 7 Journalists Sentenced to Up to 9 Years ⚠️ Ulvi Hasanli, director of “Abzas Media,” Sevinj Vagifgizi, editor-in-chief, Hafiz Babali, investigative journalist, and Farid Mehralizade, a journalist and economist for Radio Azadliq, were each

At #HRC59, we hosted a roundtable on the erosion of press freedom in Russia, Belarus & Azerbaijan. Brave journalists exposed how propaganda & censorship silenced independent voices. We thank our speakers & 15 missions who joined us. #FreedomOfSpeech #PressFreedom #NoToPropaganda

I'm hearing disturbing news that on 20 June the Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced 5 AbzasMedia journalists & HRDs whose cases I had previously raised with the Gvt to 8 to 9 years. I remain concerned this is linked to their legitimate anti-corruption work. Az Mission Geneva

⚠️ EU Condemns 🇦🇿’s Heavy Prison Sentences for Independent Journalists European External Action Service - EEAS 🇪🇺 has issued a strong condemnation of 🇦🇿 decision to impose lengthy sentences on journalists and staff of AbzasMedia, demanding immediate action to protect press freedom irfs.org/news-feed/eu-c…

⚠️ IRFS condemns #Georgia's 🇬🇪 escalating crackdown on media freedom New defamation laws reverse burden of proof & scrap protections for journalists. Court detains Mzia Amaglobeli despite health issues ❗️We urge OSCE media freedom & EU to act now. #PressFreedom 📷 JAMnews

We reiterate the call of Commissioner for Human Rights to release Anar Mammadli and all others imprisoned in #Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 for their legitimate human rights work. The pattern of arbitrary detentions must end❗️ Council of Europe standards demand more than silence—they demand action.

⚠️ “We are just trying to survive,” admits EMIN HUSEYNOV at the #HRC59 in United Nations Geneva. “In the last ten years in #Azerbaijan 🇦🇿, many journalists have decided to stop their work and go into exile.” Read more on exiled CSOs from 🇧🇾 🇷🇺 🇦🇿 rfi.fr/ru/права-челов…