Today, August 28, the investigation into the “Meydan TV case” has been concluded.
At the end of the investigation carried out by the Baku City Main Police Department, final charges were announced against the accused.
The charges in this case have been aggravated, and new accusations have been brought against the defendants under the following articles of the Criminal Code: Article 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship resulting in large-scale income), Article 192.2.3 (when committed by an organized group), Article 193-1.3.1 (legalization of property obtained through crime), Article 193-1.3.2 (when committed in substantial amounts), Article 206.4 (smuggling committed by an organized group), Article 213.2.1 (tax evasion — when committed by an organized group), Article 320.1 (forgery of documents), and Article 320.2 (use of forged documents).
The detained journalists are now charged under a total of eight articles of the Criminal Code.
After review, the case will be sent to the Baku Court for Grave Crimes for trial.
On August 15, 2025, the Meydan TV journalists issued a statement from prison, saying:
“The authorities are preparing for a new fraud.”
“To the government creating a political show for the public we say: if your expectations have failed, don’t try to compensate with another fraud. There is no criminal element in our actions. Journalism is not a crime!” the statement said.
On December 6, 2024, five Meydan TV employees – Ramin Jabrayilzada (Deko), Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunesh), Aytaj Ahmadova (Tapdig), Aysel Umudova, Khayala Aghayeva, and Natig Javadli – were detained.
They were initially charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling committed by a group of persons in prior collusion), and a pre-trial detention measure was ordered by the court.
In addition to the Meydan TV staff, Ulvi Tahirov, deputy director of the Baku School of Journalism, was also detained on the same day and placed in pre-trial detention.
On February 5, 2025, Shamshad Aghayev (Agha), editor-in-chief of the website “arqument.az” and a journalist collaborating with Meydan TV, was also detained and placed under pre-trial detention.
On February 20, journalist Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli) was detained in connection with the Meydan TV-related criminal case. A pre-trial detention order was also issued against him.
Fatima Movlamli was detained on February 28 in connection with the same case. The Khatai District Court ordered her arrest.
Journalist Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva) was detained on May 7 in relation to the same criminal case and was also arrested by decision of the Khatai District Court.
The detained journalists deny all charges and claim they are being punished for their critical reporting.
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