UN special rapporteurs have spoken out in defense of arrested journalist Ulviyah Ali.
Three UN special rapporteurs have reported possible violations of journalist Ulviya Ali's rights and demanded clarification from the Azerbaijani authorities regarding her criminal prosecution and prison conditions.
As reported by the Caucasian Knot, in February, Ulviya Ali faced threats against her family in Baku's Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 after AI-generated audio recordings of pressure against her in pretrial detention and during her trial were published on social media.
Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva) was questioned as a witness in the Meydan TV case in January 2025, after which she was banned from leaving Azerbaijan. In May of that year, she was detained and arrested as a defendant. She denied the smuggling charge and reiterated that she does not cooperate with Meydan TV. Ali was taken to the detention center after being beaten by security forces, where her condition significantly worsened.
Three UN Special Rapporteurs—Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression; and Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers—have appealed to the Azerbaijani government regarding the criminal prosecution of Ulviyah Ali.
They noted that serious procedural violations were committed during Ali's arrest and search. The journalist also reported violence and threats against her, including the threat of rape, as well as coercion to disclose passwords to her electronic devices, according to the Special Rapporteurs' statement, which was translated into Russian by a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
The Special Rapporteurs also pointed to the possible falsification of the time of Ali's detention in the case file and questioned the legality of the charges against her.
The journalist's health is a source of concern.
"The journalist's health is a particular source of concern. "It is reported that her health has worsened since her detention, but she was denied the necessary medical examinations, including an MRI," the statement reads.
UN Special Rapporteurs believe that the criminal prosecution may be related to Ulviya Ali's professional activities and her exercise of her right to freedom of expression.
The document cites possible violations of a number of Azerbaijan's international obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The UN Special Rapporteurs called on the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure the journalist's safety, provide her with access to effective medical care, and conduct an independent investigation into the allegations of violations.
The statement was prepared on January 16, 2026, with the condition that it be made public 60 days later, along with a possible government response, a lawyer from a public support group told a Caucasian Knot correspondent. Ulviya Ali.
The Azerbaijani government has been deaf to calls from international organizations in recent years.
"The appeal was published on April 4. Judging by the lack of a response from the Azerbaijani authorities on the UN website, none has followed. In general, the Azerbaijani government has been deaf to calls from international organizations in recent years. Unfortunately, nothing positive has happened in Ulviya Ali's case over the past two months. She continues to be denied access to effective medical care, and conditions for examination in a specialized civilian clinic have not been created for her. Moreover, she was pressured in pretrial detention," the lawyer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Meydan TV case was opened in December 2024, when six journalists were detained and later arrested on charges of currency smuggling. They linked the criminal case to their professional activities. By August 2025, 11 people had been arrested in the Meydan TV case. At the end of August, it was announced that the investigation had been completed, and a 12th suspect, photojournalist Ahmed Mukhtar, had appeared in the case. At the same time, the arrested journalists were charged with seven more criminal offenses. .
Those arrested in the Meydan TV case were persecuted on the orders of the Azerbaijani leadership for their journalistic activities, said one of the defendants, Shamshad Aga. "You have neither the authority nor the courage to make arbitrary decisions in any process controlled by [the country's president] Ilham Aliyev. In these processes, the investigator, the prosecutor, and the judge are Ilham Aliyev," he told the court.
Journalists from other media outlets, including Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Kanal-13, have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. On June 20, journalists and employees of Abzas Media were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. In court, they denied the charges, emphasizing that they were being persecuted for their professional activities and for investigating corruption.
The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest point in 2024 since the country's 23-year membership in the Council of Europe, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Key Points on the Record Number of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan." At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the existence of political prisoners in the country.