The journalist Ulviyya Ali, who was detained on the night of May 7, has been given a detention measure for a period of 1 month and 29 days.
On May 7, the Khatai District Court issued a ruling following the prosecution’s request.
The court was told that over 6,000 euros were discovered under the journalist’s mattress during a search of her home.It is said that she brought this money into the country during her last international trip in December of the previous year.
The court accepted the prosecution’s request.
A detention measure of 1 month and 29 days has been imposed on Ulviyya Ali, who was arrested in connection with the “Meydan TV” case. She has been charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling, committed by a group of people in collusion).
Her lawyer, Elvin Alemov, told Meydan TV that Ulviyya Ali refused to testify.
Ulviyya Ali was detained on the night of May 7. It is reported that she was subjected to violence during her arrest, and her computer was seized.
On January 16, 2025, Ulviyya Ali was summoned by the Baku City Main Police Department in connection with the “Meydan TV case,” and she was banned from leaving the country. The journalist did not agree with this decision and appealed to the court.
Ulviyya Ali is the 11th journalist arrested in connection with the “Meydan TV case.” Meydan TV states that Ulviyya Ali has no affiliation with this media organization.
Meydan TV Case
Meydan TV staff members Ramin Deko (Jabrayilzade), Aynur Ganbarova (Elgunash), Aysel Umudova, Aytaj Ahmedova (Tapdig), Khayala Aghayeva, and Natig Javadli were detained on December 6, 2024. They were charged under Article 206.3.2 (smuggling committed by a group in prior collusion) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. They were placed under pre-trial detention for four months.
On the same day, Ulvi Tahirov, the deputy director of the Baku School of Journalism, was also detained under the same charge. Tahirov has no connection to Meydan TV.
On February 5, the editor-in-chief of the website argument.az and journalist collaborating with Meydan TV, Shamshad Aghayev (Agha), was detained and sentenced to two months and one day of pre-trial detention.
On February 20, journalist Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli) was detained in connection with the Meydan TV case. A court sentenced him to one month and 17 days of pre-trial detention.
On February 28, journalist Fatima Movlamli was detained in the same case. On March 1, the Khatai District Court ruled to detain her for one month and nine days pending investigation.
Searches were conducted in the homes of all detained journalists, and their phones, computers, and other personal belongings were confiscated.
The journalists deny any wrongdoing and claim they were arrested solely for their professional activities.
Currently, about 30 journalists and civil society activists are imprisoned on similar charges. They all deny guilt and link their arrest to their professional work. Meanwhile, authorities claim there are no politically motivated arrests in the country.
International human rights organizations and Western officials have also called on the government to release those unjustly detained.
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