Complaints about copyright led to the blocking of the pages of Abzas Media and Toplum TV on Instagram*
Instagram* blocked the pages of independent Azerbaijani publications Abzas Media and Toplum TV, operating in exile, after complaints of copyright infringement. Representatives of the editorial offices believe that what is happening is part of a coordinated campaign to limit their audience and link the attacks to pressure from the Azerbaijani authorities on independent media.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Meta* Administration blocked the Facebook* page of the Azerbaijani opposition newspaper "Azadlyg", citing mass complaints and a 2019 publication about suicide. The editorial office believes the blocking is part of the pressure on the critical publication regarding the authorities.
The pages of independent Azerbaijani publications Abzas Media and Toplum TV are blocked on Instagram*.
According to the acting director and editor-in-chief of Abzas Media Gyunel Safarova, from August 22 to 25, the publication received four complaints about copyright infringement.
In particular, as she told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot", the complaints were related to the use of videos that were disseminated by the newspaper "Azadlyg", the website Musavat.com, the online resource HamamTimes, as well as a short video taken from social media about the flooding in the Goychay region of Azerbaijan in 2022. At the same time, Safarova emphasized that the sources of the materials were indicated when using them.
The complaints were filed not by the original sources of the materials, but on behalf of other individuals, she added. In her opinion, the authorities of Azerbaijan may be behind the attack.
"Although different names were used, all complaints had the same email address registered in the name of Farid Guliyev. This gives reason to believe that the complaint is part of a coordinated attack. In Azerbaijan, we do not have employees; we are forced to work from abroad. One of the main ways to convey information to people in Azerbaijan for us is social media platforms. To finally silence our voices, there is only one way left - to achieve the blocking of our social media accounts, and now it is being used against us. We consider this a direct targeted attack on media freedom," Safarova stated.
Abzas Media, founded in 2016, is known for journalistic investigations revealing high-level corruption. In June 2025, a court in Baku found the employees of the online publication Abzas Media guilty of economic crimes. The director of the publication Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinc Vagifgizi, investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, economist Farid Mehralizade were sentenced to nine years in prison, Narghiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova to eight, and Mohammed Kekalov to seven. On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences for all convicted in the case. International journalism organizations demanded the release of those convicted in the case.
The editor of Toplum TV Parvana Gurbanly reported that a complaint was received regarding one of the materials published by the publication concerning copyright infringement.
"It concerns a video filmed during a landslide that occurred on August 3 in the Khatai district of Baku, when cars were buried under a layer of earth. The video was taken from the official page of Azerbaijani public television on YouTube, and the source was indicated when published. However, the complainant claimed that the material was taken from his own profile. This is part of a campaign to completely deprive us of our audience, and the Azerbaijani government is behind this. We do not think that an ordinary citizen could do this," Gurbanly says.
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 employees of the institute Ruslan Izzetli, Ali Zeynal, Ramil Babayev, Ilkin Amrakhov, and Elmira Abbasova. 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 July 27, a verdict was announced in the Baku Serious Crimes Court regarding this case. The sentences for eight defendants ranged from 12 to 15 years, Elmira Abbasova received 11 months and 28 days in prison. Abbasova was taken into custody in the courtroom. The lawyers stated their intention to appeal the verdict.
One of the Baku media experts noted that "today social networks are actually the main source of information for the population."
"Even materials produced by traditional media are still viewed and read on social networks. Abzas Media and Toplum TV are among the few remaining publications online where people can learn alternative opinions about events happening in the country. Therefore, following the blocking of websites, the government is now resorting to closing the accounts of undesirable publications on social networks. Previously, the pages of the newspaper "Azadlyg" and the television program Azərbaycan saatı ("Azerbaijan Hour") were blocked," he said to a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" on condition of anonymity.
The Azerbaijani authorities have not yet commented on reports of the blocking of the pages of the mentioned publications on social networks.
Earlier, as reported by "Caucasian Knot", against the backdrop of reports of the blocking of accounts related to the newspaper "Azadlyg", Meydan TV pointed out the financial interests of Azerbaijan in Meta*. "The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) invested $179 million in Meta shares in the first quarter of 2024, for the first time including the company in the top five largest technology investments of the fund. At that time, Meta shares accounted for 1.4% of SOFAZ's stock portfolio," the publication notes.