Key facts
- Nine journalists and activists from Toplum TV were convicted of financial crimes and sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
- Toplum TV founder Alasgar Mammadli received a 14-year sentence, while co-founders Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli received 15-year sentences.
- The defendants were accused of illegally receiving and using Western donor funds as part of an organized criminal group.
- Lawyers for the defendants deny the charges, calling the ruling politically motivated and plan to appeal.
- International media rights groups have condemned the trial and sentences, citing a crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan.
A court in Azerbaijan has convicted nine journalists and activists associated with the independent online news outlet Toplum TV on charges of financial crimes, sentencing them to prison terms of up to 15 years. Toplum TV founder and director Alasgar Mammadli received a 14-year sentence, while co-founders Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli were sentenced to 15 years. Other staff members received sentences ranging from 12 to 14 years.
Authorities accused the group of illegally receiving and using Western donor funds as part of an organized criminal group. The defendants deny the charges, asserting they are politically motivated and linked to their journalistic activities. Their lawyers stated that no defense motions were granted and that they intend to appeal the verdicts.
International media rights organizations, including the European and International Federations of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, have condemned the sentences. They described the trial as politically driven and a form of government repression aimed at silencing critical voices in Azerbaijan, a country where President Ilham Aliyev has led a crackdown on dissent since 2003. Toplum TV was considered one of the last remaining independent news outlets in the country, known for its reporting on corruption and social issues.