The heads of two online publications have been arrested in Azerbaijan.

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Farhad Guliyev, founder of the YouTube channel Kanal 21, and Zamig Guliyev, director of the website bakuxəbər.az, have been arrested in Azerbaijan. They are accused of extortion.

The Ganja district police department has arrested Farhad Guliyev and Zamig Guliyev for two months on charges of serious crimes.

Three other individuals – Ilgar Aliyev, Rahman Aleskerov, and Ilkhami Nasibov – were arrested along with them. They allegedly posed as journalists, Oxu.az reported on May 1.

All those arrested are accused of extortion through threats against several citizens. A criminal case has been opened against them under Article 172 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, and the investigation is ongoing.

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 weresentenced to imprisonment for 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.