Journalists and human rights defenders criticized the verdict in the Toplum TV case.

The editorial office of the exiled Azerbaijani publication Toplum TV expressed disagreement with the guilty verdict handed down to the publication's journalists and activists of the Institute of Democratic Initiatives, calling the criminal prosecution politically motivated. International organizations for the protection of press freedom condemned the court's decision and urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release the journalists.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", among those accused in the Toplum TV case were the founder of the publication, Alesker Mamedli, Toplum TV employees Mushvig Jabbar and Farid Ismailov, the head of the partner organization Toplum TV – the Institute of Democratic Initiatives Akif Gurbanov, and institute employees Ruslan Izzetli, Ali Zeynal, Ramil Babayev, Ilkin Amrakhov, and Elmira Abbasov. Initially, they were accused of currency smuggling, later new charges were brought against them under six criminal articles. Toplum TV positioned itself as an independent platform for expressing different opinions on socio-political and socio-economic events. On February 10, Toplum TV announced the suspension of its activities in Azerbaijan. On June 8, the prosecutor requested long prison sentences for the accused – from 13 to 16 years. The defense asked for the acquittal of the accused. On July 27, a verdict was announced in the Baku Serious Crimes Court in this case.

Toplum TV rejected the accusations against its colleagues

The editorial team of Toplum TV in exile condemned the guilty verdict handed down by the court in Azerbaijan against the journalists of this publication and activists of the partner organization, the Institute of Democratic Initiatives.

After almost three years of formal investigative actions and court proceedings, which, as stated by the editorial office, had a "formal and fabricated nature," on July 27, 2026, the Baku Serious Crimes Court issued a guilty verdict, sentencing journalists and activists to long prison terms.

"Toplum TV has been operating in Azerbaijan since 2016 as one of the few independent media adhering to the principles of professional journalism and serving the public's right to information. Since its inception, Toplum TV has highlighted citizens' issues, provided the public with accurate, impartial information about events in the country that correspond to public interests, and has also served as a platform for expressing various opinions and voices that have tried to be silenced," the statement from the editorial office continues.

Moreover, Toplum TV continues to be one of the most accurate and impartial news sources for millions of readers and users in Azerbaijan and abroad, even after a police raid on the editorial office in March 2024 and the arrests of journalists and staff. "Despite the harshest pressure, discrediting campaigns, and the harsh reality of being forced to turn into an 'emigrant' media after leaving the country, Toplum TV continues to operate, guided by the principles of professional journalism," the editorial team states.

The editorial office considers this criminal prosecution and the pressure exerted on it as part of a systemic policy aimed at suppressing independent and critical voices in Azerbaijan.

Toplum TV considers the charges brought against the defendants to be unfounded and rejects them.

"The editorial office considers this criminal prosecution and the pressure exerted on it as part of a systemic policy aimed at suppressing independent and critical voices in Azerbaijan. The employees of Toplum TV did not engage in smuggling or any other illegal activities. We state that the only reason for the pressure exerted on us is the activities of Toplum TV as an independent and impartial media. The defendants in the Toplum TV case have substantiated, with legal arguments and evidence, that the criminal case, the charges brought, and the verdict issued are completely unfounded," the statement continues.

Toplum TV stated that it will continue its professional activities and defend its rights and the rights of arrested colleagues by all available legal means.

Journalistic organizations demanded the release of the convicted

The verdict in the Toplum TV case caused a resonance and reaction from various international organizations.

Thus, the European Centre for Press Freedom and Media (ECPMF) strongly condemned the "harsh prison sentences handed down on July 27, 2026, to journalists and media workers associated with the independent publication Toplum TV." "This verdict represents a severe escalation of the ongoing suppression of independent journalism in Azerbaijan and further narrows the already shrinking space for free and critical publications in the country," the organization's statement emphasizes.

The charges against the defendants in the case "stem from restrictive legislation in Azerbaijan regarding the media, which effectively deprives independent publications of the opportunity to receive foreign funding." The criminalization of funding mechanisms has become a tool for the authorities to persecute independent journalism and eliminate critical voices, the ECPMF statement further states.

This is a brutal blow to independent journalism and the public's right to access information in Azerbaijan.

"This verdict is not just a court decision against the employees of Toplum TV. This is a brutal blow to independent journalism and the public's right to access information in Azerbaijan," the statement quotes Parvan Gurbanly, the editor-in-chief of Toplum TV.

ECPMF believes that the verdict in the Toplum TV case is "yet another example of how the Azerbaijani authorities use the criminal justice system to silence independent journalism." The Toplum TV case fits into a broader context of repression against independent media, including the persecution of resources such as Abzas Media, Meydan TV, and Kanal 13, whose journalists face arrests, prolonged pre-trial detention, judicial arbitrariness, and politically motivated charges, the authors of the statement further emphasize.

The international community, including the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE, must continue to hold Azerbaijan accountable for fulfilling its obligations to protect freedom of speech, media pluralism, and the right of journalists to work without fear of imprisonment or retaliation.

ECPMF calls on the Azerbaijani authorities: to immediately and unconditionally release all journalists and media workers imprisoned for performing their professional duties; to overturn politically motivated sentences; to cease the persecution of independent media.

"The international community, including the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE, must continue to hold Azerbaijan accountable for fulfilling its obligations to protect freedom of speech, media pluralism, and the right of journalists to work without fear of imprisonment or retaliation," the ECPMF statement concludes.

The International Press Institute (IPI) also issued a statement regarding the court verdict in the Toplum TV case.

IPI strongly condemned the "illegal and abuse-of-power prison sentences."

"Azerbaijan remains one of the countries in the region with the highest number of journalists in detention. According to the Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists, 36 journalists are currently detained in the country. IPI again calls for their immediate and unconditional release and urges the international community to exert real pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to end the ongoing unjustified arrests of journalists," the statement, which is cited on the Toplum TV website, says.

Another journalistic organization based in Europe also condemned the verdict in the Toplum TV case.

"This unfounded court decision shows the level of instrumentalization of the courts in Azerbaijan, which are subordinate to the president of the country and whose decisions are used to silence the last independent media in the country," the statement indicates.

Another journalistic organization based in the USA called the court's verdict in the Toplum TV case "shockingly harsh sentences," which are a "textbook example of how the lack of international accountability" encourages authoritarian governments to persecute their critics.

A politician pointed to signs of falsification of the case

The chairman of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) Jamil Hasanli also criticized the verdict in the Toplum TV case.

22-year-old Ilkin Amrakhov, who did not even have a foreign passport, was declared a "smuggler."

"I attended all 45-46 court hearings in this case. The journalists of Toplum TV, like Abzas Media and Meydan TV, were arrested on political orders. The case was fabricated to absurdity. A transport card from the Tbilisi metro, found in the house of the founder of Toplum TV Alesker Mamedli, was 'documented' by investigators as a 'foreign bank card.' 22-year-old Ilkin Amrakhov, who did not even have a foreign passport, was declared a 'smuggler.' Young journalist Farid Ismailov and other young people, even those who dealt with the technical side of journalism – setting up microphones in the studio, checking sound – received 13-14 years," Hasanli told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot."

Searches were conducted with the same witnesses. Moreover, the same witness allegedly attended searches simultaneously in Baku and Sumgayit on the same day.

He also pointed to procedural violations.

"Searches were conducted with the same witnesses. Moreover, the same witness allegedly attended searches simultaneously in Baku and Sumgayit on the same day. No fingerprints of the accused were found on the banknotes of the money that was allegedly smuggled into the country... Where were the state customs committee and the state border service looking if it was so easy to smuggle money into the country?" Hasanli noted.

The Azerbaijani authorities reject claims of persecution of government critics. "In Azerbaijan, media freedom is ensured. There is no censorship in Azerbaijan, [but there is] free internet, and hundreds of media outlets operate. Therefore, it would be unfair to criticize Azerbaijan for actions allegedly aimed at hindering media development. What kind of restrictions can there be with free internet?" - said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on April 26, 2025, in Berlin at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Aliyev linked the arrests of journalists to "illegal financing from abroad." "Investigative authorities detained representatives of some media outlets illegally funded from abroad. And this was done in full compliance with the legislation of Azerbaijan. Any country must protect its laws. If any media representative illegally receiving funds from abroad is brought to investigation, it does not mean that media in our country is not free. It just means that everyone must act within the law," state news agency "AzerTAj" quoted Aliyev.